I really appreciate all of the fine submissions for this edition of the All About Dog Training blog carnival.  Since the NaturalDogBlog is totally focused on dog training, I’m often looking around the blogosphere for other dog trainers to see what they’re talking about.  While there are a lot of other dog-oriented sites out there, there actually aren’t too many blogs that have a strong training component – with usable advice.  If you happen to come across a good one, please either let them know about this carnival so they can participate – or let me know, so I can harass contact the blogger directly for submissions.  Let the carnival begin!

Karen Shanley, the “Author Mom with Dogs”, presents Training “Quiet” the Brilliant Aussie Way.  It’s an amusing tale of using time-outs to keep a dog quiet when she’s lying next to the dinner table – with a surprise ending.  Karen’s blog does cover more than dog training, so check out the slice-of-life articles as well.  They’re always a good read.

Over at the Dog Training: Positive Pain-Free Methods Blog, Rosana Hart addresses how, if you have two dogs and one of them already knows a certain behavior, you can train the dogs together - to let your inexperienced dog learn from your experienced dog.  Her article is called Clicker Training the Double Sit:  That’s Two Dogs Together.  Just make sure you keep those cheese hands far away from each other! 

Lee Charles Kelley, whose “Kelley Method” was inspired by Kevin Behan’s Natural Dog Training, presents another really well-written article:  Using Praise as a Correction.  You might think that when your dog does something you don’t want them to do you should “scold” them, or correct them?  Maybe not all the time – but you might scold your dog in an OBVIOUS moment, like when your dog scavenges a chicken breast at the local park, right?  NOT SO FAST!!!!  Lee Charles Kelley discusses why PRAISE is actually your best choice in these situations, how praise can function as a way to “correct” your dog, and some thoughts about the mechanism actually at work.  Your best choice is always to build the relationship between you and your dog – while scolding often just produces resistance between the two of you.  I think you’ll find this article to be a fascinating read.

Finally, at DoggieWoggie, Pat Doyle presents some thoughts on How to Walk Your Dog with No Pulling on the Leash, a subject near and dear to our hearts here on the NaturalDogBlog.  If you think you’ve tried everything, and you still have pulling problems, check out Pat’s article – as there may be some simple techniques that you’ve overlooked.  I especially agree with her that you should remain calm during these moments – if anything remember that you’re trying to be prey-like, which will encourage your dog to keep their attention (and walking) focused on wherever you’re leading.

Here at the NaturalDogBlog, we’ve just recently covered Part One of our series on using a box to teach Sit, Down, and Stay.  While many of our articles so far have been focused on solving problem behaviors in our dogs (especially aggression), this article addresses how to use Natural Dog Training to teach your dog essential “obedience” lessons when they’re in an energized emotional state – which is ultimately when you’ll need them to be their MOST obedient.  Also, make sure you keep an eye on the Categories list here at the NaturalDogBlog – I will soon be creating some more “functional” categories (I mean, really, what was I thinking by having a “Dog Training” category?!?!?!?) to help you navigate the site.  In the meantime, if you’re looking for a more methodical do-this-then-do-that approach to Natural Dog Training, please refer to the Learn the Basics of Natural Dog Training page.

Thanks again to all of the participants in this edition of the All About Dog Training blog carnival.  Please visit their sites, show them some love, and, if you get the chance, tell them that the NaturalDogBlog sent you.  And don’t forget to submit your dog training article to the next edition of the all about dog training blog carnival.  Take care!

We have some great submissions for the 2nd edition of “All About Dog Training” for your reading enjoyment and your training edification.  This month’s selections offer you some useful nuances for the very basics of dog training.  Read on for thoughts about teaching your dog their name, getting your dog to come to you when you’re at the dog park, house training your dog on cue, and patience in your training regimen.

Sarah Filipiak presents Teach Your Dog His Name – For Real, Though posted at German Shepherd Central.  In this article, Sarah clearly articulates the clicker training method for teaching your dog his name.  I plan to take her up on the free ice cream offer one of these days, too.  Sarah’s just getting her blog off the ground, so stay tuned for the barrage of getting-a-blog-started articles that are sure to be on their way.

Next, Karen Shanley presents Housetraining Your Dog and Putting It on Cue posted at Karen Shanley: Author Mom with Dogs.  Have you ever been standing outside on a brutally cold (or hot) day with your dog, waiting and waiting and waiting for “the business” to occur (and I’m not talking Flight of the Conchords business time here)?  Imagine, in those moments, being able to make it happen with a verbal cue – and then head on over to Karen’s blog to read about how to train your dog to do this very thing.  Karen has been on writing hiatus recently to work on a different project, but her archives contain lots of valuable information about all sorts of aspects of dog training – along with some great slice-of-life writing as well.

We also have a great article by fellow Natural Dog Training-inspired trainer Lee Charles Kelley: Coming When Called at the Dog Run posted at Lee Charles Kelley (his blog).  His article discusses some strategies for teaching your dog to come when called that will work especially well at the dog park – and he also teaches you how to incorporate hide-n-seek to make yourself even more prey-like (and desirable) in your dog’s eyes during this high energy situation.  If you’ve ever wondered how you can work with your dog AT the dog run to get them to come when called, or had trouble getting your dog outta there when it’s time to head home, this article will give you the solution you’ve been looking for.

I had hoped that my new NaturalDogBlog design would be in place for this carnival, but alas, it wasn’t in the cards.  In the spirit of “patience”, for this blog carnival edition I’m going to direct you to this article here on NaturalDogBlog.com:  Patience and a Positive Mindset in Training:  Turning a Problem into an Opportunity.  In it I talk about changing your perspective when you’re dealing with “problems” with your dog, and how important your filter can be in terms of accurately diagnosing a problem and coming up with a truly effective solution. 

Thanks for coming by for the 2nd edition of the All About Dog Training blog carnival, and thanks to our authors for their submissions.  If you are also writing about dog training, you can submit your blog article to our next edition using our carnival submission form.  Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.  If you have any questions or have a suggestion for an article, please let us know in the comments, or you can send e-mail to me at:  neil at naturaldogblog dot com.