Training your dog is not a quick process, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult one. Any dog can be trained, and any dog owner can learn to train their dog. Follow the advice in this article for some ways to make the process easier, faster, and more effective.
When you are working on dog training your newest addition to the family, try not to accidentally punish the animal for good behavior. If you have gotten a puppy, for example, and he goes to the bathroom outside correctly do not leave the dog out there alone. Take time with him and play with him because if you leave him alone he will be sad and think he did something wrong.
To introduce a new animal into a home that already has dogs, you should give that animal their own territory. This could mean initially giving the new cat or dog their own room or taking your old dogs out of the house before bringing the new dog in. Because dogs are very territorial, this tactic gives your new dog more leverage and makes your older dogs more reluctant to get aggressive.
Walking your dog means leading your dog. Your role in this situation is to lead the pack, therefore your pet should be expected to walk a half step behind. You will instill confidence in your pet when they know you are leading the pack and making the decisions. They will be less likely to attempt running or being distracted while you walk.
Create a regular schedule for your dog. Make sure his meals are at the same time each day, and walk him morning and night. Try to take him out for toilet breaks using a consistent routine. Dogs tend to thrive when they have a schedule that they can follow.
Start training your dog as early in its life as possible, but not younger than about seven weeks. This helps build an early bond between you as the owner and trainer and the dog. However, starting too early will simply overstress the dog; a very young puppy won’t learn anything from training sessions.
If your dog is not listening while you are doing dog training, make sure that the dog is not ill. There will be no benefits to punishing your animal if it is not feeling well, and it can have very detrimental effects afterwards. If you are unable to decide if the dog is sick then contact a veterinarian for assistance.
Take extra care with the tone you use whenever you discipline your dog. Your dog can usually tell how you are feeling. Using a stern tone will help reinforce discipline if used appropriately.
Make sure your yard is free from burrowing wild animals to keep your dog from digging. Some dogs, especially hunting breeds, will dig when looking for prey. Finding humane ways to rid your yard of other animals can help to stop this troublesome behavior. Wild animals can be deterred or relocated for the sake of both your yard and your pet.
Remember how many treats you reward your dog with during the course of the day to avoid fattening him up. It’s easy to overlook the treats, but the do add up, especially when you’re doing a lot of training.
One tip to keep in mind when training your dog, is to use its name properly. This is important because control over your pet is the number one priority in training and discipline. Say it’s name often, but only for direct orders. Never call your dog to you if you plan on inflicting punishment on it.
If your dogs are big and tough and young and go through beds as if they grow on trees, look for low cost alternatives. Use your imagination to come up with sofa cushions, comforters from the thrift store or garage sales, cast off pillows and other things that you don’t mind having destroyed. Your dog will probably outgrow his bed destroying phase, and it’s not worth it to get upset about it and spend a fortune on dog beds!
Be sure your dog knows how to behave in public and how to behave around other dogs by taking him or her to obedience classes at six months and to your local dog park on a regular basis. Another very good way to socialize your dog and build a strong bond with him or her is to get involved in agility classes or other advanced forms of dog training.
In order to properly train your dog it is a good habit to always use your pet’s name to get his attention. This will reinforce your control over your pet and it will be beneficial in the long run. This can be done when calling your pet for food or even when playing simple games.
Target training can serve as a basis for more advanced tricks. Target training is teaching your dog to touch an object (the target) with his nose or paw. The object can be any item, but once you pick something to use (some trainers use a ball mounted on the end of a stick), stick to it consistently. Once your dog has learned to target the object, you can shape his behavior by placing the object near the next task you want him to learn. Targeting can be used to teach a dog to do everything from closing doors to turning the light switch on or off.
Try using a clicker to help enforce good behavior. To use a clicker, you will be creating a positive correlation between their positive acts with the sound the clicker makes. You should click, and then immediately treat. This method will be necessary until your dog learns that the “reward” is the clicking sound alone. Your dog quickly learns that the clicking sound means a treat is coming, so you can then use the clicker to train.
No matter what you do, dog training can be a difficult process. Many dogs are easier to train than others, but all dogs will respond to the same basic techniques. Having read this article, you will now be more prepared to start off making your dog a better canine citizen.
