Your dog is always learning. The problem is – how do you get your dog to learn good habits and NOT bad habits? Dogs understand things very differently than us humans, so frequently when you are training your dog (or even when you think you are NOT) you are actually making behavior problems worse!
If you cannot calmly work with your pet, it is best to put training aside until you have composed your mood. Your dog does not understand bad moods. Confusion can set in with your dog if you become frustrated in trying to work on basics. Patience and kindness are key factors in a dominant leader.
If your dog is misbehaving, try to determine why. It is important to work out why your dog is doing what it does. Knowing the reason for poor behavior can make training significantly easier. It is far more difficult to correct an action that you do not fully understand the reasoning behind.
Be aware that you are not going to have a perfectly trained dog overnight. Changing behaviors is a lengthy process that will involve a lot of successes and a lot of setbacks. If you are not training from a puppy, the process can take even longer as your dog will need to both unlearn bad behaviors and learn new ones. Be patient and you’ll start to see results.
As you train your dog, it is important to remember that everything you do with your pet is an opportunity for them to learn. Without realizing it, you may be rewarding undesirable behaviors throughout the day. Keep in mind that whether you are actively training or not, your actions are still having a large impact on your dog’s behavior.
When training your dog to walk on a leash, remember that your dog should follow where you lead, not the other way around. Dogs are pack animals, and the leader of the pack always travels in front. You want your dog to see you as the leader, so they need to learn to walk behind you.
When doing early leash training, select a nylon leash about six feet longer. A leash made of leather or other heavy material will drag on the dog’s collar even when you aren’t attempting to give a reinforcement, and can be extremely distracting for the dog. Once your dog is fully leash trained, however, leather leashes may look better and last longer than nylon ones.
To teach your dog to mush, you should start by introducing him or her to common mushing terms before you have them pull weight. Start by taking your dog for a walk and saying “Gee” when turning right and “Haw” when turning left. Make sure to praise and reward your dog for turning with you in the right direction. Eventually, your dog will learn the commands and be able to move in the right direction without your physical guidance. Simple directions are essential for mushing dogs to know because it can prevent lead tangles and confusion when pulling an actual sled.
You have to have patience when you are training your dog. Staying patient will help all parties to avoid frustration. Bear in mind that your dog wants nothing more than to please you; however, your language is somewhat confusing to him.
If you are trying to prevent your dog from begging, the best thing to do is ignore the begging completely. Don’t respond either positively, with a treat or petting, or negatively, by shouting. Your dog will learn quickly and remember for a long time that the begging ended up with you paying attention to the dog.
For your dog to understand what you are punishing them for, you need to catch them misbehaving. If you reprimand a dog for something that happened hours ago, chances are your dog will not make the connection. And if you choose to ignore your dog to show that you are mad, do not ignore it for more than a few minutes.
Exercise is an important element of training a dog. A dog that does not have enough exercise will have greater amounts of energy. This energy can come out as chewing on things, playing with people, running around the house, or other unwanted activities. Exercise will help one have a manageable dog to work with.
Participating in a group class can be a very effective way to train your dog. Group classes are almost always less expensive than individual training sessions. They also offer your dog the opportunity to socialize with other pets. Look for a smaller group though, so that you still have plenty of one on one interaction with the trainer.
Training a dog will be not only a challenge, but also a test in patience. You are going to want to start small and make sure that you reward the dog for his good behavior, so be sure you have plenty of snacks on hand! Whenever your dog does a good job or minds the rules you’ve set for him, reward him by giving him a small snack, so that he can associate the food with his good behavior.
A tip for small dog owners: make treats small to ensure your dog doesn’t become full during training sessions. Believe it or not, a dog will work just as hard for a treat the size of a pin-head as he will for a treat the size of your thumbnail. This way, training sessions can last longer and be more interesting.
Try these simple techniques yourself in your next training session with your dog. Try as few or as many of the tips as you want. Once you have practiced and then mastered these strategies with your dog, he will become the well behaved member of society you dreamed he would be.
