There are various reasons why dogs are trained. Dogs can be trained to hunt or to protect, and they can also be trained to do tricks for enjoyment. Dogs have always been willing to please their owners — this is why they are known as “man’s best friend.” That is why they are so loved as a pet. Help your dog reach its full potential by applying the following training advice.
Rewarding your dog properly and generously is important when it comes to training them. Giving your dog treats at the right time and in the right amount is important. A dog doesn’t always know when it’s being rewarded if they don’t get a treat at the proper time.
Make sure that you use control to reward your dog’s good training behavior. If your dog follows a training command properly, then it is acceptable to reward the behavior to a calm animal. If you get excited, the dog will become excited and everything will be out of control. Stay calm and expect the same from your puppy.
The space you share with your pet should be calm and relaxed. During playtime allow your dog to be feisty, but teach him to remain calm when someone enters a room. Don’t acknowledge dogs the moment that you set foot in the house.
It takes many repetitions before a dog is able to learn new commands. It isn’t uncommon for 25-50 repetitions of this same command to be used for the dog to understand it. Try to maintain as much patience as possible, for the sake of your dog.
Unless you offer a distraction or stimulus, your dog will probably focus exclusively on a single thing. With enough training, you will have your dog focusing solely on your signals.
Be careful not to reinforce negative behaviors. This means you must not reward your dog with attention or treats for doing something you don’t want it to do. Don’t scratch the dogs back, give it a snack or reward it in any way if it jumps, barks or does anything you don’t approve of.
As you train your dog, be sure to create verbal cues to make your pet know that he is doing what you want it to do. A word like “yes” can be an effective bridge between the time that the dog exhibits the behavior and the time that they receive the reward.
You must begin your relationship with the dog as the boss for any training to be effective. If the dog does not understand that you have control he will ignore your commands and act with outright disobedience. Avoid allowing your dog to lead you during walks. Instead, walk in front of your dog to show that you are the leader of this pack.
Teach your dog all of the newest training methods to keep him in line. Often dog owners will stop enforcing the rules that their dog learned in their training courses. Dogs forget things just like humans do; however, and the dog will lose discipline without practice. It’s important to be consistent with the rules for your dog.
As you train dogs, it is necessary to utilize a consistent tone and volume when giving commands. Your tone will indicate that you’re serious and to be respected. The dog will also know the difference when you give them discipline as opposed to a command.
“Leave it” is a very important command that teaches your dog to drop whatever it is holding. This should be the first command you teach. It ensures they don’t eat food they shouldn’t, chew on items not intended to be chewed on or even pick up dangerous or poisonous items in their mouth.
Whenever you want your dog to complete a task, you must reward it. You want your dog to recognize that when you give it a command and it does the task, it is doing what you want it to do. This can establish right from wrong quickly and efficiently.
If you plan on housebreaking your pet, you must work hard to avoid any preventable mistakes. Learn to read your dog and anticipate his needs. They might walk back and forth or whine. When you see this, don’t delay. Get outside right away to the dog’s favorite spot. Whenever he relieves himself in an appropriate time and place, he should be praised immediately. Do this consistently and he will always let you know when he needs to go outside.
You need to teach your puppy how to leave an item alone with a simple command such as “leave it.” This will help prevent them from chewing on your furniture or other items, as well as prevent them from having dangerous items in their mouths.
Be certain to maintain consistency in training. When everyone is participating in the training progress, you should be sure that each member of the family is applying the same rules and commands. Your puppy will learn quickly if you only use a few different words and always expect the same behavior.
Understand that getting your dog to respond during the times that you tell him or her ‘no’ is not helpful. Use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior. Telling them “no” does not help them know how to react to you. Dogs need tailored training to pull through.
Does your dog have a problem with biting furniture or even other people? If so, then spray them with a mist of water. This technique will show your dog that the behavior is unacceptable. Before long, your dog will no longer display these behaviors, and will be obedient and playful.
Use positive reinforcements when training your dog. Your dog should be rewarded with both small treats and happy words. Avoid shouting and hitting the dog. These tactics backfire and just make your dog believe you are incompetent. Stick to the plan and maintain a positive attitude for great results.
You need to teach your dog what is right and what is wrong. Everyone in your house needs to enforce these strict rules. It can quickly make your efforts backfire!
It’s essential that you understand that you must be firm with your dog when you are in training mode. However, you should avoid being too loud or aggressively reprimanding your dog as this will hurt your relationship. Your goal should be to show that you are both strict and forgiving. This will help improve the relationship between you and your dog.
Challenge your dog often. Even if you are sure your dog is remembering everything you’ve taught him, having him demonstrate with a little “pop quiz” will keep him sharp.
Using different tones for different training purposes can be a useful tool in training a dog. Each tone that you give should represent the emotion of the command that you giving. Stand firm and be sharp when using commands. Use louder tones for corrections, and use your natural tone when giving praise.
Maintain consistency when dog training. Have a strict list of command words that you always use, and make sure that anybody that associates with your dog knows the command words as well. Make sure everyone knows what to do in terms of rewarding the dog when it does well and not reinforcing poor behavior. If different people in your household respond to the dog in different ways, it becomes confusing for the dog and less likely they will respond in the appropriate way.
Dogs will be dogs, so give your dog outlets to work out his canine behaviors. Dogs need an appropriate diet, a place to run out their energy and lots of ways to keep busy.
Never let your dog drag you when walking. You are the one in control. Use a secure collar with a short leash when beginning obedience training. Teach your dog to heel when walking, and always pass through gates and doors ahead of him. It is important that your dog respects your authority.
As was already stated, many dogs are trained for many different reasons. Dogs want to please their owners, and when you have a good dog they are a pleasant addition to any family. With any luck, this article should have provided you with some advice on how to train your dog.
To succeed at dog training, it is necessary to commit yourself to a regular schedule of training sessions. Dogs learn best through repetition and consistent training. Also, just spending time with the dog daily is a great way to engender confidence and true friendship. These two traits turn you into a pack leader.