Simple Fish Tricks

Unlike dogs which can absorb basic training easily, fish don’t really go into deep thoughts and thus can’t be properly trained to perform complicated tricks but however, just like any pets, they can learn to recognize and please the owner who feed and approach them everyday. One particular fish breed that fits into this category of petting fish is of course Koi.

Koi is a type of coldwater fish that is popular in Japan. The fish belongs to the carp family and through generations of cross-breeding has produced colorful strains. They are usually kept in ponds and owners will have the pleasure of viewing them from the above observing their every movements. Healthy koi is especially fond when being approached and they love to feed from the palm of the feeder. One of the simplest tricks whereby people would use to train up their pet fish is by teaching them to feed only from a single spot.

Sometimes koi ponds can be made up of a very large area and it may not be feasible if one goes about trying to find each and every one of them to ensure that the foods goes to all the fish. Hence, experienced koi owners have developed a certain training program whereby they would send out a signal to get all the fish to come grouped in a single spot so that feeding task can be made easier. Some of the signals whereby they can use is by using the “water vibration” method in order to get the attention of their koi so that they know when is the feeding time.

The method is usually repeated for a few times and once the koi learns to recognize and identify the feeding pattern, subsequently you will not need to further tell them to come to you but instead they will approach you instead. This technique has been a common norm employed by experienced koi breeders and you will be surprised how smart the koi fish really are.

Some fish reading reference.
New Pet Fish

Teaching your dog to sit

Teaching your dog to sit is the most basic part of a dog training program. Basically the success will depend on how much effort you put in and how you maintain overall consistency plus frequency until the dog learns. Certain dogs can be easy to train while other breeds might present the most challenging tasks for the owner but somehow I still feel that success rate will depends on how you establish the relationship and conduct the training routine.

Let’s begin with the first step towards guiding your precious pet as I presume you’ve already read my previous posts about introducing crate and collar and leash to your dogs. I’m sure as an owner, you should also have a dog treat ready and if you decided not to use this, it can any food that your dog loves. Hold the reward right above the dog where he/she can sees it clearly. Once your pet notices it, use the “sit” and voice it out in a firm and commanding tone. Some dogs will jump on you but make every effort to ignore this and take away the treat to tell it that “until you behave, there’s no treat for you”. This sends a clear signal to your pet that you will not tolerate such behavior and make no attempts to give in to its pleas.

Once you again repeat the “sit” command, try to make your dog go into sitting position. Have one of your family members help you out on this if they have free time to spend. Generally, it is better if you continue to stand and hold the treat above the dog’s head while the other family member are trying to push your dog down, resting on the floor. One has to be patient to continue holding the treat and again repeating the “sit” command and never reward until your pet obeys your instruction. Eventually, what you are trying to achieve is telling him/her that as you say the “sit” word, it sends an instruction for it to lie down and behave. The dog has to know that you will not tolerate improper behavior and he/she has to follow your command in order to please you.

After your pet sits down, present the snack and praise you dog by patting it on its head. Somehow, as a pet owner this basic training routine should be something fun and exciting. Be prepared to spend considerable amount of time and never loses patience when a dog does not follow your expectations. Certain dogs can be more playful than others while some can get easily distracted when there are kids running around the place. Ideally, if you want to ensure that teaching your dog to sit goes on as smoothly as possible, try to conduct the training at a quiet location in order to avoid external disturbances and distractions.

Introducing collar and leash to young dog

When you have a young dog, eventually it will come to the time whereby you will need to introduce the collar and leash. Most people would not just bother about it anyway and will just put on the items without much consideration. There are however, certain tricks and techniques you can adopt to make sure that your new pet will feel comfortable. Certain dogs may not like or agree to the idea while some will totally detest having a collar strapped around their neck. Somehow, depending on how you establish the bond and train them, eventually they will come to term and accept it.

Based on my experience, the best time to introduce the items is during the second day after you have brought your pet home and after letting it adjust itself to its new crate. Usually the best hour to do this is early in the morning when its memory is fresh and meal has yet to be served. What you need to do is to call out to your dog and get him/her to play around with you and giving your pet its favourite toy. Spend at least 10 minutes trying to distract the dog’s attention and while it is happily playing, slip in the collar and leash to make it look like a new present.

Once the collar and leash have been put on, let it trail and drag the items without your intervention for a while. Don’t worry if it gets uncomfortable because somehow as time goes by they will eventually adjust to accept it. If he/she shows sign of being emotional and whining, try to reassure your pet by doing a gentle pat on its head to tell it that everything is fine. Give the freedom to your dog to explore the new objects and let it sniff at the collar and leash while at the same time, letting it free to do what it wants to without restriction. Some cute dogs will try to shake off the item from their neck but do your best to console and let it know that it’s going to be part of being it.

This important step of introducing collar and leash is the most critical part of having a dog as these are the items which will play a large role towards training and obedience

How to introduce dog to its crate

New dogs need to be introduced to his/her crate and it’s a normal routine done in the first day of dog training. The introductory session is best done after giving the dog a meal and then showing the potty spot. It is best followed because doing this will make sure that the dog is comfortable and ready to be introduced to its new home.

For a puppy or young dog, hold it close to your arms and by carrying it, move your pet towards the crate. Sit close to the crate together with your dog and then encourage it to move inside its den by placing a toy in the crate. Try to guide it towards to area and analyze whether it follows your command. Sometimes instead of using a toy, you can also put in a small piece of doggie treat and lead it inside. However, I would not suggest using this method at the moment since the dog has just finished its meal and doggie treat should only be used later part in the dog training.

There are some positive encouragements which you can do for your dog to accept its new resting spot. Some of the things which you can do to make the place look welcoming is by preparing a soft blanket together with a towel to make the crate look cozy and accepted by your pet. The perfect size for your crate should be large enough to accommodate an adult dog but since you have a puppy, try to block off the remaining area with a cardboard so that the extra space does not end up being an elimination spot.

There are certain breeds of dogs which can be less obedient and will feel a little bit reserved to listen to your command. In this case, do not try and force the dog to enter its crate and by all means use whatever possible encouragement and ideas you can think of to get your pet inside. If a toy doesn’t work, maybe you can consider using other objects but never scold your dog during this period. Some people might ended up pushing it in instead but I think doing this doesn’t serve any purpose at all since training your dog is a delicate process that will always take time.

Finally, the best thing to do is to get all your family members to participate and try to show to him/her how wonderful and comfortable the new home is. In fact, this is the best time that should be fully utilized not only to introduce your dog to its crate but it can serve as a family introductory session as well.

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