A lot of people are trying to maintain a clean home these days, and a big part of maintaining a clean home is to keep your dog properly trained. However, many people aren’t aware of how to train their dogs effectively. The best method of doing this is learning all you can on training your dog. Advice like what you are about to read ought to help you.
If you have to keep your dogs outside, never tie them up too close to one another. One dog’s chain might become entangled with the other, which could lead to serious injuries. If dogs get tangled up too severely, one can get wrapped up so badly it could close off the airway, and he could die.
When you correct your dog verbally, ensure your corrections are direct and short. Don’t rant on and on about how bad your dog is. Just say no and direct them on what it is you desire for them to do. Be sure your command tone of voice gets their attention and shows that you’re serious.
Take caution when near an unfamiliar dog and offer them a chance to sniff your hands. This helps the dog become familiar with your scent and engenders trust. When the dog becomes familiar with your smell, he will not fear you and will respond to your commands easier.
Give your puppy with lots of chewable toys, otherwise he might alleviate his teething pain on your nice furniture. Offer your puppy a variety of acceptable items to chew on. To help your dog cope with painful teething, give him a wet washcloth that has been frozen.
Be careful not to spend too much time at once training your dog. If you try to focus for a long period of time on one command, your dog will show signs of boredom and begin to get antsy. Keep the lessons down to about 10 minutes or so.
Continuously maintain all training that you have done with your dog, and consider adding new behaviors as you go. Too many owners tend to be under the impression that once they have trained their dog, that’s the end of it. That’s not a good idea, since animals and humans form and retain habits in a similar way. Therefore, it is vital that your dog follows an established rule system at all times.
Don’t extend training sessions. The attention spans of dogs can be limited, and therefore it is necessary to keep training segments brief so that the animals do not grow bored and disinterested. If you want to continue, then give dogs a quick free play break.
When training your pet, see to it that you get its attention all the time. For example, state your dog’s name before giving a command. Get his attention with his name and then follow that with what you want him to do. Dogs listen for their name because they know it means you will say something else.
Stay firm when you are training your dog. However, this doesn’t mean constantly yelling at your dog. Instead, find some balance between being firm and being loving. This is a good way to establish a good relationship with your puppy.
When it comes to training your dog, never give up. Unless you constantly enforce desirable behaviors, the training is unlikely to be effective. Just as you need to keep feeding and sheltering your dog, training is a never-ending process.
Try to teach your dog good habits right away. Bad habits are hard to break, so start training your dog early. Never give a dog food scraps from the table so that it does not get into the bad habit of begging for them.
One of the first commands you should teach your dog is “down”. This command is useful to build upon, or on its own in emergency situations. Dogs trained in the “down” command will get to the ground within a moment of the command in tense situations, making this command a great safety tool.
Accidents are bound to happen while housebreaking your puppy. It’s important to immediately clean up the accident to make your training more effective. If the mess stays on the area for too long, it can leave a scent behind that your animal may return to in the future to do his business. Check any local stores or pet shops for products that are specifically designed to remove the urine smell from a carpet.
Recall is a very important skill for your dog to master. Teaching your dog to come when called in any situation is an important skill for him to learn. Foster this behavior gradually to help the dog learn that it must obey no matter what. Your dog’s life may depend on recall some day, so do not skip this training, although it may be challenging to teach.
When training a dog, watch that you do not overdo giving the dog treats. Too many treats can really plump a dog up. When trying to feed their dogs a healthy diet, many people do not count the calories in the treats. These can add up fast.
For each time you use your pets name in a negative way, such as a reprimand, make an effort to use it positively 2 or 3 times. He must not think that his name is a negative word. If he does, then he won’t come when called.
If you travel with your dogs, pack your dog’s needs for sleep, toileting and sleeping. Some treats, a bottle of water and a favorite blanket will go a long way towards making the trip more comfy for everyone. There is no need to bring along the bag of dog food; you can buy some when you reach your destination.
Fetch is a great way to teach a dog you’re the boss. If you pick up a ball that your dog drops, then your dog will believe he is in charge. Teaching the dog that he must bring the ball to you each time helps your dog to understand what is wanted of him at all times with the ball.
Does your pet strain and pull every time you put him on a leash? Many dog owners have this complaint, but it’s also quite simple to rectify. Go to your local pet store and purchase a cheap harness. A harness can significantly reduce pulling, which will cause your walks to be more fun.
If you want to teach your puppy how to sit on command, wait until he is not sitting and present a treat. Pass the treat above its head as you move your hand behind it. This will make your dog stare up as he’s watching your hand. This will cause your dog to sit once their head cannot go back any further, thus teaching them to sit.
If you want an agile dog, make sure you choose a breed that tends to be agile. Any dog can perform the sport but the popular breeds are border collies, Australian shepherds, labs and sheepdogs.
One good training method is known as “shake-can”. Put a handful of screws or pennies into a lidded can. Shake the can whenever you catch the dog doing something wrong. The dog will be startled and the behavior will cease. After several shakes, your dog will realize that he or she is actually doing something wrong. Just shake it one time though, shaking it too much will desensitize your dog.
Don’t allow your dog to drag you around. You are the one leading him. Get a decent training collar with a shorter leash to start obedience training, and make them heel when they go through gates, doors and walk with you. Remember, you are the leader!
Just like people, dogs do better with different styles of training. For instance, an easygoing dog is sure to do well with positive reinforcement, while aggressive dogs might require negative reinforcement if they are to acknowledge your role as leader. Never be afraid to try a new training style if your current one is not effective.
Spaying or neutering your dog is recommended at six months of age. After the dog is neutered or spayed, you should begin obedience classes with your dog. When your dog is spayed or neutered, it is a nicer pet and is better at obedience. This will give your dog a happier and healthier life and you will have many years of happiness with your pet.
If your dog has separation anxiety, it’s important that it learns to connect with more than one person. Allowing the dog to establish relationships with new people will lessen its dependence on the owner.
Show your dog you are in charge by having him bring you a thrown ball that he fetches. If you go to your dog instead, he thinks he is in charge. When you insist that the ball be brought to you every time, you will teach the dog that this is what is expected of him whenever he has the ball.
Wee-wee pads are the enemy to anybody looking to potty-train their puppy or dog. Urine and feces contain enzymes that linger in the area. Dogs are still able to smell these enzymes, especially if the pads leak. They also will think that things that look like the pads are okay to go to the bathroom on. Instead, it is far preferable to teach your pet that outdoors is the only acceptable place to relieve itself.
If you are bringing a new pet into the family, make sure to introduce them to any existing pets slowly. Consider your pet at home before adopting a new one. You can boost bonding efforts by getting a new pet that has a complimentary personality to your own.
Your dog has a brain that needs to be exercised too. For dogs that do not have an issue with excessive chewing, canine puzzle toys may be enjoyable and may help it develop problem-solving skills. Puzzles can be found in many different styles, and it is important to buy ones that play to the dog’s strengths.
If your dog barks without reason, avoid shouting at him. Shouting to teach your dog not to bark could be a form of positive reinforcement. This will give them an idea that you do not like what they are barking at. The confusion allows the dog to thing that they were right to bark, and therefore it is better to remain calm.
After reading all this advice, you should have an idea on how you can approach training your dog and keeping your home clean. You will have a dog that is trained well once you use simple strategies on a regular basis.
Some dogs can get so frightened during a thunderstorm that they can actually harm themselves. Talk to your vet about any phobias your dog has. Your vet has access to sedatives that can help in these situations. You should only use this method when all other behavior modifications have failed; however, this can benefit your dog when the problem is extremely severe.