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!
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 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.
When your puppy is 7 to 12 weeks old this is known as the “fear-imprint period’. If your puppy experiences trauma at this time, he may have the fear associated with this trauma for the rest of his life. Because of this, your puppy’s early weeks should include human contact, and contact with other animals. It should also be a positive experience for him, with little punishing, if any at all.
Before crating your dog always allow them the opportunity to eliminate. Young dogs, in particular, have to relieve themselves quite frequently. You can’t expect them to not urinate or even defecate in the crate if they haven’t been given the opportunity to do so before they are crated.
To keep your dog from barking while you aren’t home, you need to make him think you can appear at any moment. This will take some time on your part. Pretend to leave the house, but stay outside until the barking starts. Then open the door and deliver a stern “No!” This will make your dog think you are all-seeing and all-hearing. A few sessions of this technique, and you’ll train your dog to keep it quiet.
If you are having problems with dog training, then you should look at your training routine. Dogs are much more susceptible to learning if you have a solid routine. All you have to do is keep repeating the commands you want them to learn repeatedly and eventually they will pick it up. Leaving you with a dog that is much easier to enjoy having.
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.
One of the first things most people teach their dogs is the sit command. This is very basic but is handy for your dog to know, especially when you want to get his attention. One way to teach your dog to sit is to take a piece of dog treat and hold it about six inches from his nose. Slowly raise the treat straight up and say “Fido, sit”. You may have to use your hand to help him into the position until he realizes what you want.
To teach your dog how to walk on a leash, you should start by getting your dog used to the leash at a young age. Walk around your yard or garden with your dog on a leash at first. Reward your dog if it does not tug on the leash. Use a command such as ‘come’ and tug on the leash at the same time. Your dog should quickly understand that you wish it to follow you.
When deciding to train your dog, make sure that you have patience towards your pet. All dogs are unique and learn at different paces. To be effective in training your pooch, make sure you have the patience to see it through. Treat your dog with kindness even if he or she may try your patience.
One tip to keep in mind when training your dog, is that there is no one way to train your dog because your dog is unique. This is important because you need to understand your dogs needs, and what the best way is to approach training and discipline. You definitely do not want to stick to a method if it is the wrong way to teach your dog.
Do not punish your dog for chewing unless you catch him in the act. For example, if you discover your shoes have been gnawed on, your dog likely does not remember. Punishing him for chewing hours later has no impact and will not help the behavior. Instead, remember to reinforce positive behavior and look for opportunities to correct inappropriate behavior when it occurs.
Get your dog to stop chewing undesirable objects by offering him interesting alternatives. There is an endless variety of chew toys available at any pet store or department store. Get a basket and put “his” toys inside and keep it full of fun playthings. Hopefully, he will learn to prefer his own toys to yours!
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.
