Hannah Lynn Fitness

This is a question that a lot of people wonder about. Head Halters look cruel and inhumane, but the truth is this: Head halters are NOT cruel! The idea of the head halter is taken from the horse's halti, but it is usually a little bit smaller =) Head halters are used for training ONLY. Head halters are not meant for abuse. It is a good idea, if you are planning on buying, to have someone who is familiar with head halters to assist you to make sure it fits properly. Make sure it is not too loose, yet not too tight. After that, you should make sure your dog is comfortable with the head halter before you walk in the public. Some of this information was attained by Marc Morrone's book, "Ask the Dog Keeper"

Teaching your dog manners is very important. Lay, or down is very important. But make sure before you do this, that you have a cue word picked out. You should NEVER pick a cue word with two words in it(lay-down, sit-down), that have other meanings. You will just have a confused dog. I chose "Lay" because "Down" is what I use when she  jumps up. So, this is how I taught Daisy Lay: I got some treats in my hand. I would call Daisy over. I would tell her to sit, and then I would say "Lay" and push between her shoulders. She was very stubborn at first, but eventually, she got it. I am very proud of her. Some dogs are smart, but stubborn. Daisy is a Puggle(pug and beagle mix), and puggles are stubborn. Different dogs have different personalities. Your dog might even be stubborn as a puppy, and be willing as he/she ages. Aren't dogs wonderful?!

The Great Pyrenees is a gigantic dog! When it is full grown, it's head will be larger than yours! This dog was a shepherd dog long ago. Did you know that male Great Pyrenees are on an average of 115 pounds, while females 85 pounds. They live approximately 10 years. They are usually white or cream, but that can be rust colored, although, as they age, their coat gets lighter. Their beautiful coat needs to be brushed once a week(at the minimum). Of course, it wouldn't hurt to brush it more often=) They are known to be gentle and sweet, but they have a tendency to growl at strangers, unless trained against it. Overall, this dog is a great family pet, but will NOT do good in apartment dwelling, hence it's large size.

To teach your dog to heel can be difficult. If you look in magazines and dog training books, most of them will have a different technique than the next one. Here is a way that is mixed between a technique that I came up with and the technique written in Puppy School by Maggie Holt and Stella Sweeting. I'm using this technique to train my dog, Daisy, heel. I tell Daisy to "Hook Up" and I clip the leash on her collar. I take her outside and we start our walk. When she pulls I stop and say nothing. When she stops pulling I continue walking. When she is walking right next to me, I praise her. According to Puppy School by Maggie Holt and Stella Sweeting, dogs pull out of excitement, not because they are being naughty.