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.
All dogs need daily exercise and it can be an important part of your training efforts. Daily exercise shows your dog that he is a member of the family, as well as letting him know you are a strong leader. Exercise encourages his confidence and provides you with wonderful bonding opportunities.
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.
Just as reinforcement of good behavior when training a dog should be immediate, so too should punishment for bad behavior be immediate. Saying “no” in a harsh voice tells the dog he has acted inappropriately but he only connects the message with the targeted behavior if that message is delivered immediately after that act.
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.
Consistency is the key to puppy crate training. As soon as the puppy is out of the crate, let them have an opportunity to go outside and relieve themselves. Over time, the puppy will be able to wait until the appropriate opportunity to answer the call of nature.
Be certain your dog knows that you are the leader of your pack. Be friendly with your dog, but also be firm. Don’t let your dog control the direction or pace of your walks.
To break your dog of bad habits such as jumping, the best technique is to ignore him, for just a short period! Dogs don’t really understand yelling in a situation like that. But if you turn your back and avoid further interaction, he’ll get the idea that he’s done something that breaks contact with you and dogs want to be our friends!
Spend time training your dog in a variety of locations and with different distractions. Once Fido sits reliably at home without distractions, teach him to sit outside, at the dog park, and in places with lots of people. This helps your dog obey commands reliably in any situation regardless of distractions.
To keep your dog from barking, you need to stop rewarding this behavior by giving him what he wants. This means paying attention to your dog, letting him inside the house or comforting him. Your dog will associate your behavior with the barking and will think that you want him to bark.
Give your dog plenty of positive reinforcement. Discipline isn’t only about punishment for bad behavior. You should make sure to reward good behavior with lots of affection and praise. It will ensure that your dog understands when it is doing the right thing, and it will help it develop trust in its trainers.
To teach your dog to go outside, you should keep a very close supervision on it for a few weeks. Every couple of hours, take your dog outside to the area that you would like to see it use. Wait until your dog is done, and reward it. If your dog does not go, take it back inside the house and try again later.
When implementing discipline with your dog, monitor your tone of voice. Dogs are in tune with human emotions and pick much of that up from your voice. A disciplinary command is best delivered in a stern tone.
Keep track of how many treats used to reward your dog every day for a healthy diet. Many people do not factor in treats when they are tabulating a pet’s diet, but they do add up, particularly while you are training.
When training a new puppy to come, a long rope is a great aid. Call the puppy while gently pulling it toward you and praising it for coming. When it reaches you, praise it even more and offer a favorite treat. Soon the puppy will associate its name and coming to you with praise and treats, then you won’t need the rope anymore.
In order to potty train your dog, it is important to praise them when they are successful at going outside. Dogs are more likely to continue their good behavior if they know they will get praise afterward. Tell them what a good dog they are, and give them a hug and kiss.
It is important to be patient when teaching a dog how to use the bathroom outside. Every dog learns at his own pace and what may work for one dog may not work for another, especially if your dog is young or used to going to the bathroom inside the house.
Your house shouldn’t be like doggy prison. Your dog should have a wide variety of social interactions daily. This will ensure he’ll continue to blossom as a social animal, and he’ll be able to use up some of his energy meeting all these exciting new people and dogs. You’ll both benefit from the experience.
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.
