THE EASIEST TO TRAIN DOG BREEDS - A Comprehensive Guide

WRITTEN BY XENA

If you're on the hunt for your new four-legged companion, choosing the right dog breed can be quite a challenge. To simplify your decision-making process, we've conducted thorough research on dog breeds that are notoriously easy to train. In our previous article, we discussed the breeds that are more challenging to train, but don't worry—being easy to train doesn't mean these breeds are any less intelligent or capable. In fact, most dog breeds possess the intelligence equivalent to a 2-year-old child. Additionally, each breed has its own predisposition for specific tasks, such as following commands and working alongside humans (such as guarding livestock) or working independently. In this article, we'll focus on the dog breeds that are known for their trainability, particularly those from working and sporting lines. Let's dive in and explore which dog breeds made our list of the top 10 easiest to train.

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers are incredibly popular worldwide due to their friendly nature, playfulness, and sociability. While their curiosity often lands them in awkward situations, proper training can help prevent any potential harm. It's important to teach them obedience and essential commands, such as "leave it," from an early age. Known for their muscular build, Labradors are frequently employed as working dogs for detecting illegal substances. Furthermore, their loyalty, obedience, and excellent compatibility with children make them exceptional pets. These factors contribute to the ease of training this breed.

German Shepherd

For detailed information about the German Shepherd breed, please refer to our previous post: https://www.catdogwrld.com/2021/06/what-do-you-need-to-know-about-german.html. In terms of training, German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient, making them popular choices for police and military work. Whether training for specific tasks or as family companions, it's crucial to start short training sessions, around 5-10 minutes, multiple times a day, from a young age. Long training sessions are not recommended for puppies due to their limited concentration span during development. To maximize their interest in training, schedule sessions before meals and reward them with treats. Properly trained German Shepherds coexist harmoniously with other pets and dogs. For further information, you can also check these resources: 

https://www.catdogwrld.com/2021/07/can-german-shepherd-and-golden.html, 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3npTrhrl0U&list=PLWuvi-c205RU4g9lFR7WOwF1KlUH0P2Bc&index=6.

Golden Retriever

What can we say about these beautiful dogs? Golden Retrievers excel in intelligence, obedience, and their affinity for humans, making them ideal family dogs and remarkable pets. They also make fantastic therapy and assistance dogs, showcasing exceptional obedience and agility in competitions. Positive training methods, including treats, praise, and gentle scratches, work wonders with this breed.

Poodle

Poodles are renowned for their beauty, and elegance, and often dominates dog shows. Beyond their physical attributes, Poodles are loyal dogs and among the most intelligent breeds worldwide. Consequently, they are easy to train. However, it's important to note that Poodles are fairly active and require daily physical and mental stimulation.

Doberman Pinscher

Doberman Pinschers are fiercely loyal and protective of their owners. Historically used as protection dogs, they possess characteristics such as self-confidence, fearlessness, obedience, determination, and intelligence. These traits contribute to their quick learning and ease of training. Although they enjoy socializing with people, proper training and early socialization are essential to prevent potential aggression. With the right training, a Doberman can be a treat rather than a "killing machine."

Border Collie

Considered the most intelligent dog breed globally, the Border Collie's intelligence is often compared to that of a 2.5-year-old child. As a result, training this breed is relatively easy. Border Collies learn and continuously seek mental and physical stimulation. They excel in obedience, agility, and herding tasks. Consistent training methods, such as positive reinforcement and interactive play, are essential for this breed's well-being and development. You can find more about this dog here:

https://www.catdogwrld.com/2022/12/top-10-breeds-of-dogs-most-attached-to.html

Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

Australian Shepherds, despite their name, originated in the United States. They are highly energetic and intelligent dogs, commonly used for herding livestock. Their natural inclination to please their owners and their eagerness to learn to make them highly trainable. Australian Shepherds thrive in an environment that challenges their minds and bodies, so incorporating activities such as obedience training, agility courses, and interactive games is recommended.

Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)

Shelties are often described as miniaturized versions of the Rough Collie breed. They are intelligent, responsive, and eager to please their owners. Shelties excel in obedience and agility training, as well as various dog sports. Their small size and adaptability make them suitable for various living situations, including apartments and houses with yards.

Papillon

The Papillon, meaning "butterfly" in French, is a small toy breed known for its distinctive butterfly-like ears. Don't let their small size fool you—Papillons are highly intelligent and trainable. They are quick learners and respond well to positive reinforcement methods. Regular mental and physical exercise is essential to keep them engaged and prevent boredom.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Although small, it is a DOG that is very strong and muscular. It is a very obedient DOG, which is what it is best known for, so training does not pose any problem for it.

In addition to the above, there are a number of other DOG BREEDS that are easy to train. Therefore, if your DOG is not among them, do not despair! If you have enough time, patience, and knowledge, you can train any BREED in the world. These BREEDS are only the best choice for training.

Remember, while these dog breeds are considered easier to train, each individual dog may have its own unique personality and learning style. It's important to adapt your training methods to suit your dog's needs and be patient throughout the process. Training should always be based on positive reinforcement, using rewards and praise to motivate and encourage desired behaviors.

Whether you choose one of these easy-to-train breeds or another breed that captures your heart, investing time and effort into training will foster a strong bond and a well-behaved companion for life. Happy training!

"We take care of our pets as for ourselves"

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CAN PETS PREDICT AN EARTHQUAKES? EXPLORING ANIMAL BEHAVIOR BEFORE NATURAL DISASTERS

WRITTEN BY XENA

Introduction:

Images of the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria are still vivid. For some of you, it is much more, because you yourself have been victims. Nature sometimes surprises us with its cruelty, and a significant role in all of this belongs to man. 

He is the one who, with his irresponsible actions, largely influenced climatic changes, and thus most likely severe natural disasters such as earthquakes. 

Could this have been foreseen and thus avoided catastrophic consequences of an enormous degree? I leave it to the experts to deal with it in the future because this is a blog about CATS and DOGS after all. However, what I would like to point out with this introduction and what I will deal with in this post, is the possibility of predicting earthquakes by our PETS. So, the question is can pets predict an earthquake or not?

Pets and Their Ability to Sense Cataclysms:

That animal can sense cataclysms has been known since ancient times. Thus, for example, back in the 4th century BC (373 BC), ancient Greece was hit by a huge earthquake, where the entire city of Helikea, where the epicenter was, collapsed into the ground. Just two days before that unfortunate event, rats, snakes, worms, weasels, and centipedes left that city and found refuge elsewhere. 

From recent history, there is a record of the earthquake near Naples in 1805, which talks about the unusual behavior of domestic animals immediately before the earthquake. So, for example, some DOGS will whine and bark "for no reason" before an earthquake, and if they are on the floor in a house or apartment, they will run outside barking. While others will hide among the furniture, stare blankly or seek protection in the lap of the owner, and some will not return to the house for some time after the earthquake, due to the closed space. 

Cats, Dogs, and Other Animals:

CATS, but also snakes, frogs, and fish, can also sense an earthquake. CATS get nervous before an earthquake because they react to sudden changes in the Earth's magnetic field due to their heightened senses. Namely, they can feel tremors, changes in temperature, the smell of stagnant water, and noise. CATS actually react to the increase in static electricity in the air that occurs just before an earthquake. 

It is believed that a CAT predicted the earthquake in Albania in 2019, because a surveillance camera recorded its agitated behavior, just before the earthquake. And that video went around the world and became viral. 

Chickens literally go crazy before an earthquake (clucking in panic, flapping their wings, they behave as if some predator attacked the chicken coop), and during and after the earthquake they become even crazier. These are the words of the author Tributsch, who studied the ability of animals to predict earthquakes and published this in his book "Omens of Earthquakes". In it, he analyzed as many as 78 collected descriptions of unusual animal behavior around the globe. Thus, he states that "aquatic animals", such as crocodiles and frogs, are particularly sensitive to earthquakes, affecting them more than other animals. 

Scientific Evidence and Opinions:

There is a whole range of opinions on this topic, and scientists in Japan have been dealing with it for the last few years, which is understandable if we take into account that Japan is located in a seismic area. Earthquakes are an almost frequent occurrence there.

Conclusion:

My humble opinion on this topic is that our PETS and animals in general can sense and therefore predict cataclysms. Moreover, there is more recent scientific evidence about this, that is, evidence from the age of developed seismology, and it cannot be said that it is just empty speculation or superstition. I leave it up to you to decide for yourself whether it is superstition or scientific truth.

 "We take care of our pets as for ourselves."

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