Training your dog is more about teaching the human than it is the dog. Before an owner is able to train their dog, they need to know what they are doing themselves. To train a pet like a dog, you must first train yourself. This article offers some good guidelines for first-time dog trainers.
Every dog needs a calm and confident leader to feel secure. Any dog owner can show that he is a strong leader by encouraging and rewarding good behavior. Proving to your pet that you’re a strong leader makes training easier and establishes a bond between pet and owner.
Using a crate when you’re not at home can be very effective, especially for a young puppy. The crate keeps your puppy safe and secure, and also protects your home from chewing and bathroom accidents. Your puppy can learn to feel comfortable and protected in his crate home while you are away.
Just because your dog is obeying you, do not assume that they are done learning. Your dog is always learning. Never stop reinforcing good behavior. This is especially important if you move. A new surrounding can be very distracting for a dog. You might have to reteach them a great deal.
When giving commands to your dog, do not repeat the command over and over before getting a response. By giving the command one time and waiting for the dog to respond, you will teach him that you are expectant of a behavior. If the command is not obeyed at first, show your pet what you expect before saying the command again.
Make sure you and your family are consistent with your commands. If one person uses “down” to tell the dog to get off the couch while another says “off” and a third is letting him lay there, the dog is going to get mixed signals. It makes it much more difficult for him to learn the commands.
When training your dog, keep your goals and expectations for your dog reasonable. Just like when you try to learn something new, your dog isn’t going to learn new tricks the first time you teach them. Different breeds and even different dogs within the same breed, will have different levels of receptivity towards training.
To prevent any mess in your house, you can install a doggy toilet. Once your dog knows that it has to go outside the house, use the same command you used to make it understand that outside is a good place to go in association with the doggy toilet.
If you want your dog to stop digging, play with him in the yard. Many dogs who dig do so out of boredom and the desire to get back at their owner. Playing in the yard with your pet offers him the socialization and exercise he needs, and it is also a fun way to bond with your favorite pooch.
As you progress in training your dog, only give rewards for obedience the first time you give a command such as “come” or “sit”. The dog will quickly learn that it is better to get the reward by obeying the first command than having you repeat it and not give the reward. Do praise the dog when it finally obeys, but save the treats for quick obedience.
Make training fun for you and your dog. Choose treats that your dog loves, and give lots of excited praise for good results and even good efforts. Keep sessions short and lively. Give your dog plenty of chances to succeed by practicing commands that he or she knows well, but also add variations and new lessons to keep training interesting.
A good dog training tip is to always keep chocolate out of your dog’s reach. Chocolate is highly poisonous to dogs, but that won’t stop them from eating it. Onions are also not good for dogs so it’s best to keep them away too. Never leave chocolate lying around.
If your dog is not fond of unfamiliar men, consider this tip to curb Cujo. Keep a jar of treats near the entrance of your home. Bring new people around who love dogs and understand the situation, and have them treat your pooch. They should extend the treat out sideways from their body, without looking at the dog. It’s non-confrontational and teaches the dog that new people are exciting.
Good behavior should be reinforced and bad behavior should be discouraged. Your dog will benefit from consistency. This consistency will allow your dog to understand your message clearly. If there’s no reward to performing a behavior, your dog will be less likely to try it.
When it comes to grooming activities, familiarize your pet with common handling as early as possible. Dogs require grooming regardless of breed and getting your pet used to having her paws, face and ears handled regularly makes the grooming process less stressful for both of you. Whether you do your own grooming or have it done professionally, train your dog to accept handling common to grooming.
Use your pet’s name often to reinforce familiarity. It is important that your dog knows its name well, so that you can gain their attention at a moment’s notice. Reinforce their name as a positive experience using it when calling for food, treats, walks, or any activity your dog enjoys. Refrain from using their name when you are angry, or they could learn to fear it.
Now that the people who are interested in training their new pet dog have, hopefully, learned some new tricks, they can proceed to pass them along to their pets. Once a dog is on its way to learning, the owner will begin to appreciate the dedication that he or she has shown for doing the right thing for man’s best friend.
