There is no greater joy than a new puppy. Those beautiful big eyes and playful, uncoordinated frolicking will bring you years of fun and love. However, without the proper training your playful pet can easily become an annoying pooch in the blink of an eye. So here are some dog training tips to get you started.
If your crate training your new dog or puppy make sure that they understand the crate is their own personal space. Never use the crate as a punishment otherwise they will start to look at it as a bad place and will try to start resisting going inside of it.
You must enforce any command you give when training your dog. Giving a command that you are not confident in or not willing to follow through with diminishes your role as leader. Do not ask, beg or scream. Give firm commands in a dominant tone and expect the dog to give the appropriate behavior. Your dog will see you as a true leader when you follow through.
You may need to try different treats until you find what works for your pup. There are a lot of different dog treats on the market, but your dog has his own tastes and preferences just like everyone else. If a particular treat doesn’t seem to get your dog motivated, try something else.
When teaching a puppy basic commands, start with ‘sit’. This is the easiest one for a dog to master. Hold his favorite snack just above his nose, and firmly say ‘sit’. Most dogs will instinctively sit down at this point. Offer him the treat and don’t forget to praise him profusely. If he doesn’t sit, gently push his rear end towards the floor. After he has been sitting for a few seconds, give him the treat, and like before, remember to praise him.
If you want to help your dog succeed in his training program, take a moment to try and think like he does. Understanding how your pet views the world can help you make better training decisions for him. The better suited your program is to your dog’s personality, the more success you will have while training.
Feed your dog consistent amounts at approximately the same time every day. This is particularly important during the house training phase of pet ownership. This allows the dog to establish a regular elimination pattern and the discerning owner can use that pattern to their advantage in speedily training their pet.
When training your dog, one of the first commands they should be aware of is the “drop” command, which lets them know they should drop any items they have in their mouth. This simple command is beneficial in making him stop on chewing furniture inside the house.
Underestimating the necessity of good exercise will cramp your dogs training style. Naturally, all dogs need to run, chase and play just to release energy so if they do not get enough exercise outside of training they are very likely to be distracted or over excited and cause the session to be frustrating for everyone.
Teach your dog to “drop it”. You never know when that command will come in handy. Be generous with praise and treats as you work with this command, and continue to practice it from time to time even after your dog has mastered it. A word to the dog sure beats having to wrestle unsavory objects out of a dog’s mouth.
Build your dog’s attention span by increasing challenges. If your dog knows a command well at home try it outside on a quiet sidewalk. If he succeeds at these tasks consistently bring him to a more noisy area like the park. This builds up his attention span and increases his likelihood of listening to you around chaos.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to a professional dog trainer if your dog’s issues become too much for you to handle alone. Problems like aggression and severe anxiety are best handled by professionals, as these issues can become dangerous if they’re handled by untrained people. Your trainer can guide you in your efforts in person.
When training your pooch, patience is a virtue. All dogs learn at their own pace, and getting frustrated with your pet often adds to the dog’s confusion. Avoid punishing your dog for misbehavior and offer rewards for good behavior instead. Dogs love treats, but you can also reinforce the desired behavior with love and affection.
Avoid reacting the wrong way toward unwanted behavior. If you are amused when he does something wrong, your dog will see the behavior as acceptable. Your reaction will be confusing to your dog and extend the time it takes to reach your training goals. Even if your dog does something hilarious, be consistently stern in your corrections of misbehavior.
Babying your dog does not produce productive relationships. Dogs enjoy having a pack of family members to trust, and even more, dogs enjoy having a job. Even the smallest dogs can perform tasks, so appeal to your dog’s independent side by giving him something to work on! Fido will still love you at the end of the work-day.
Be patient with your dog while training. If he is not getting a command right away, help him to understand what it is you are asking of him. Remember, dogs are not born with the ability to understand the English language; it is your responsibility to teach him which words mean which action. Be consistent but understanding in your training sessions.
House training a new puppy is a lengthy process that should be handled with consistency. Make sure you take the puppy out on a set schedule, and remember that puppies have tiny bladders, and need out more frequently than adult dogs. Consistency in the early days of training will avoid lots of accidents in the long run.
Following the tips above and persevering with some basic training steps on a daily basis will help your new dog to be an obedient, loved and integral part of the family in no time at all. Just remember that Rome was not built in a day, and neither was a well-trained puppy.
