It may seem difficult to train a new dog. But, if you properly use the above advice, you can have a better relationship with your dog and better understand what they need.
When feeding your dog, always expect the dog to be in a calm state and ready to eat. Hyper activity at feeding time will not allow the pet to properly address feeding rituals. Establish a ritual of a calm animal who sits and waits patiently for you to give food. After this behavior is taught, your dog will probably begin sitting patiently as you prepare their food.
When training your dog, it is important to add play into the training sessions. This will help keep your dog interested. Play with his toy and show him how much fun you are having. This will help a dog with low motivation to stay interested. When you want him to take a toy, don’t shove it at him, make him take it from you.
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.
If you use treats for positive reinforcement when training your dog, be sure that you use them sparingly. If the dog receives a treat every time it follows one of your commands, it will learn that treats and obedience go together, not you and obedience. If you stop giving treats at that point, the dog will stop obeying.
Give your dog a regular elimination and feeding schedule, so you can house train them. This way, you are aware of when your dog will need to do his business, and you can take him outside before an accident occurs. This schedule also teaches dogs what it means to “hold it”.
If you wish your dog to respond to commands such as ‘sit’, you should spend up to ten minutes every day positioning your dog in the right position and repeating the command. Your dog will associate the word with the action of sitting. Be patient and reward your dog every time it obeys the command.
Stimulate your dog every day to help prevent nuisance behaviors, such as barking. A bored dog is more likely to bark continuously in an effort to gain attention. If you get your dog out for regular walks and exercise, you may find that this behavior stops. You will have a happier dog, and be a happier owner.
Accidents will happen sometimes when you house train your pet. If your puppy has an accident, clean it up straight away. If you don’t clean accidents up quickly, your pet may smell the mess and eliminate in the same spot again. There are a variety of products that will help you remove the odor; check with the local pet store or department store.
Staying aware of your dog is vital to a successful dog training program. There is a great deal of expert advice available to the trainer, but you must keep in mind that outside information should remain secondary to the feedback you get from your pet. Every dog is different, and you have to stay aware of your dog’s particular feelings to make your training program truly effective.
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.
If your dog is bored, try making him work for his meals. There are toys and puzzles for dogs that require the dog to discern between scents. There are toys that make the dog think creatively to get food out of a chamber. Either way you go, your dog will have his scavenging instincts fulfilled!
Never punish positive behavior. If your dog successfully goes to the bathroom outside, and then you leave him, it is as if you are punishing him after he has achieved the results that you desire. Instead, reward him by playing ball with him for a while or rubbing his belly.
Plan training activities with your dog during a time when interruptions are minimized. Training goes much faster when both you and your pet can focus on the training activities without being distracted by other activities or disturbances. A focused 15 minute session is more effective than several sessions which are interrupted by distractions.
Your dog wants someone to be in charge. If it isn’t you, your dog may try to take the job. Dogs want leaders who provide stability and security. Be a good leader by being consistent, competent, firm, gentle, kind, and a good provider. Your dog will be happy to follow you!
When you train your dog, you don’t have to train him to do exactly what your training book or video says he should do; however, you must train him to behave in a way that will fit in well with your family. You must train him in such a way that you can take him for a walk or to the vet without a lot of drama. By determining exactly what sort of behavior you need from your dog and then working consistently to attain that behavior, you will support your dog in having a happier and more successful life.
It takes the entire family to train a dog. When you have a family dog it is important that all members participate in the training. This ensures that the message of what is right and wrong is consistent. Involving children in the training ensures that the family pet sees them as alpha members of the family.
Use the tips you just read and your dog will soon become a lot easier to manage and become easier to live with. Apply the techniques from this article and you will be on your way to having a well-behaved pet.
