Some dog owners are blessed with naturally obedient animals. You might not be one of them, but that’s no reason to sit still and put up with a willful dog who acts aggressive, behaves improperly in the house, or refuses to obey simple commands. Apply this advice as you work hard to groom a happy and healthy member of your family.
When crate training a new puppy or dog, help the dog realize that the crate is its home. You should put their food in the cage and leave the door open if it is time for them to eat. This will allow your dog to have a positive association with the crate.
Use small steps when training a dog or pup to get into a crate, so that they can become familiar with it. As soon as they start to feel comfortable in the crate when the door is open, try closing the gate and have them eat inside. Start small, like at 10 seconds per approach, and then gradually increase the times. If the puppy becomes upset, you may be progressing too quickly.
You should have a specific feeding pattern for your dog. Teaching your dog to realize that when you place its food bowl down, it will be removed within 10-15 minutes, will help it understand that there is a feeding schedule to stick to. Remove the bowl when he is done eating.
Your dog should know when calm time is to be had. Play time needs to be a distinctive time you initiate. Don’t acknowledge dogs the moment that you set foot in the house.
Be sure to keep your dog active and engaged a great deal of the time. Dogs can get bored very easily. Not to mention that a bored dog is going to be more stubborn during training. Your dog needs proper exercise to function to his highest potential. Be sure to go for jogs or walks with your dog regularly.
Dogs have a short attention span and you will have to attract his attention. When a command is reinforced properly and often enough, your dog will begin to shift his focus from the distractions around to you in order to wait for your signal.
Never tie two or more dogs in close vicinity to one another. Their chains could get tangled up and as they struggle to get free; there is a good chance the dogs can get injured. This is especially dangerous if one dog is larger than the other, as it could use its superior size to maneuver the other dog into a dangerous position.
Be prepared to reward the dog as soon as it completes a positive behavior. You want your pet to know that you are pleased with his behavior. Rewarding good behavior and not bad behavior will help your dog to learn the difference between the two.
Training should begin with the easier commands. Aside from being rewarded instantly for your success, this will also give your dog the important basis of what is an acceptable behavior or trick. This will give you positive results from the onset.
To improve the efficiency of your training routine, make sure your dog eats and poops at around the same time every day. Once you’ve established a schedule, it will be easier to predict when your dog needs to go to the bathroom. This helps your puppy learn to “hold it” for a bit, until he knows it’s time to go out and will help save you money on carpet cleaning.
Be consistent when training your dog. When many members of a family are working to train a dog, be certain that each person uses identical commands, rewards and discipline. Your dog will be more willing to be trained if he knows what to expect.
Disciplined leash walking is very important in dog training. This will help keep your dog and you safe when going for walks.
Making your dog learn habits that are good from the start is very important. It is easier to teach a dog good habits right from the start, rather than trying to break bad habits that have already been learned. If you never give your dog any scraps from table food, they will never start begging for it.
Anything Else
Expect mistakes and setbacks when housebreaking a puppy. Clean accidents up immediately to assist in your training efforts. When a dog uses the house to relive itself, the smell can linger on the carpet if not cleaned properly. You will then have a dog that will continue to use that same spot all of the time. Many pet stores or big box stores sell products that help to eliminate the odors from pet accidents.
Bond with your puppy by making sure he learns his name before anything else. Repeat his name regularly, so he will learn to come to you when he hears it. These are the commands your dog should learn before anything else. Be around your puppy a lot, so he knows to trust you. In this way, he will be more receptive to advanced training later.
You should be sure to respond positively when your dog does something good. Get excited, smile, and give treats to help your dog relate the good behavior to something positive. Avoid rewarding improper behavior since the dog will relate this to positive reinforcement too.
Never stop training your dog. You should not stop training your dog at the end of their puppy stage. By continually reinforcing desired behaviors, your dog will continue to behave appropriately.
One trick to remember when training your pet is to introduce it to different social environments frequently. Dogs must learn how to behave around both humans and other dogs. This helps reduce unacceptable behavior in social environments.
It is vital to keep some slack in the leash when you are trying to train a dog. Canines are prone to being explorers when they are out and about. Because of their eagerness; they tend to strain on the limits of a leash. Instead of setting up this dynamic, put some slack into the leash in order to help your pet walk with you.
Don’t give up when you’re training your dog. Through constant and positive reinforcement, you will be able to train your dog to retain the behaviors you teach them. Consistent training is key to a happy relationship with your pup.
One trick to remember when training your pet is that the things that you do will surely mold its behavior throughout its life. Keep this in mind, because negative behaviors toward the dog might have a lasting impact. Keep directing your dog toward positive behavior without damaging it with negative behavior.
If your dog is accompanying you on a trip, be sure to bring along whatever your dog needs for sleeping, eating and eliminating. In order to have a pleasant trip, food and water bowls, bathroom bags and paper towels are necessities. Take only a small amount of food and purchase more when you arrive at your destination.
If your dog is accompanying you on a trip, be sure to bring along whatever your dog needs for sleeping, eating and eliminating. Pack plenty of food and water as well as clean-up materials, bedding and potty bags. Don’t hesitate on taking a handful of your dog’s favorite food with you. This is much easier than buying at your destination.
Your dog should always be able to identify which behaviors are acceptable and which are not. This means to set firm rules for everyone to follow regarding your pet. It can erase what you have accomplished.
Even if the dog can be unruly now, don’t fret. You can train most dogs if you use proper method and some perseverance. Use the information you have read to eliminate hardship connected with training a dog, as well as to maximize those efforts.
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. Your pet should understand that he needn’t be afraid of his name, as it can signify something good.