You may have thought you were going to be bringing a nice calm dog to your house, though in reality your dog is more like a wild, hyper animal! Even the smartest dog was once a mischievous pup like yours. You can develop a relationship with your pet and teach it how to behave in a house by training it.
If you are attempting to crate train your dog, remember that it is a multi-step process. When they’ve settled down with the gate open, slowly shut it and pass treats through the gate. Keep them in the crate for a small duration and slowly increase that duration. If your dog becomes restless, you may be ramping up too quickly.
Feed your dog a healthy diet. Eating a poor diet will negatively affect your dog in many ways. It can negatively impact a dog’s health and disposition. Something as simple as improving their diet can sometimes have a huge impact on how receptive they are to training.
Consistency is key in crate training a puppy. If you remove the pup from the crate, see to it that he has the means to go potty. In time, the dog will have the ability to exercise restraint when it comes to nature’s call.
Always ensure your dog is getting enough exercise. Dogs require mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. When a dog is bored, he will be hard to train. If your dog is fit and content, he will be much more likely to heed your instructions. Regularly take a walk or run with your dog.
You must be willing to invest the time required for practice if you want your training to be successful. Repetition is key in training your dog. Some estimate that your pet must hear a command as many as 50 times to learn it. Firmly and steadily repeat the command. Remain patient and eventually the command will be learned.
The first step in puppy training is commanding control. Be friendly with your dog, but also be firm. On walks with your dog, you should lead him and not the other way around.
It is important to have an appropriately sized dog crate. Puppies grow up quickly. Pick a crate that will be of suitable size for the adult when the puppy matures. Dogs need room to move about and lie down, and they should not be cramped.
As the dog gets better at training, you can let it have more freedom. This balance between obedience and freedom will provide your dog with a very satisfying life. Don’t give too much at any one time, of course, or it could take your training back a step.
It is very easy to teach a pooch to roll over as long as you have some tasty treats on hand. The first step is to teach your dog to lay. Now, with a treat in your palm, move your hand from one side of the dog’s face to the other. He will probably follow the treat, rolling side to side as it moves. While rolling, use your vocal command. It may take some time for your dog to perfect the trick, but it’s a popular move and one that is sure to impress others.
Training Sessions
When getting closer to a dog, move slowly and let the dog smell your hand. This will give the dog time learn your scent and possibly trust you. When the dog knows your scent, he is better able to trust you and follow given commands.
Don’t extend training sessions. Dogs’ attentions are very short. Maintaining short training sessions ensures that your dog can remain focused on the task at hand. Allow you dog a break every fifteen and then resume training if desired.
Always use similar calls or gestures to attract the dog’s attention. Start your commands by calling out his name. Once you call his name and have his attention, begin getting him to do what you would like. Dogs are more likely to respond immediately whenever their name is called because they are aware that you want their attention.
Toilet training is as much your responsibility as theirs. Watch your pet to identify his unique behaviors and signals that indicate when he must relieve himself. Pacing, whining and snuffling are common. When you notice this, do not delay. Put his leash on and take him to the place you wish him to go. Praise him for a job well done. Soon, he’ll get the picture that he can ask to go outside.
Avoid accidents if you want to housebreak your dog. Learn to know the things your pet does when it needs to go. He could be snuffing, pacing or even whining. Don’t delay if you see your dog needs to go out. Get his leash and take him out to his designated toilet spot! Be sure to give him praise for proper toileting. In time, he will ask you to take him out.
Wearing a puppy out by overloading it with information and training is counterproductive. Puppies have short attention spans and don’t focus well, so make sure to keep your training sessions short, but as positive as you can. If you push too hard, your puppy will remember it as a negative experience, and the next time you work to train him, it will be far more difficult.
Acclimate your dog to the source that triggers his barking fits. It may be as simple as a sound or being in close proximity to other animals. The dog must learn that they do not need to start barking when these things occur.
Start prepping your puppy for training by rewarding his good choices. Bad habits are hard to break, so start training your dog early. To avoid a dog that begs for table scraps, never give it table food to begin with.
Dogs need to be taught the right habits as soon as they are brought to your home. Dogs find it much harder to break existing bad habits than to learn new, positive ones. Giving your dog scraps from the table is just training the dog that begging gets results, so don’t do it!
It is vital that the dog’s leash remain loose when you are trying to train it to walk on a leash. Dogs become excited when they are exploring a new area. Due to their excitement, they will try to pull on their leash. The smart owner discourages this behavior, teaching the dog to walk with a slack leash instead.
A spray bottle filled with water can be an invaluable training tool when your dog engages in bad behavior like barking, biting or chewing. Your dog will understand that this action means that the behavior is unacceptable. Eventually, they won’t do these behaviors anymore and your dog will be obedient and playful.
In order to encourage good behavior during training, praise is critical. Smile at your dog and provide it with treats to assist your dog in associated good behavior with positive rewards. Having these same reactions to bad behavior will teach your dog that whatever they are doing is okay.
Socializing your dog early in life is every bit as important as obedience training. They need to become aware of how they should act around other people and dogs. They can’t learn about it otherwise. Being familiar with all the types of beings it might encounter will help your dog exhibit consistent, confident behavior.
It’s important to know if your breed of dog will require special grooming. If you have a dog that requires a lot of grooming, make sure that this is done frequently. Grooming keeps your pet clean and happy, and it reduces its risk in acquiring disease.
When training your dog, stay mindful of the particular grooming needs of whatever specific breed your dog is. While some dogs just need a few baths a year, other breeds have to be clipped and cleaned more frequently. Proper grooming results in a cleaner and happier pet, and it cuts down on the occurrence of diseases.
If you are consistent, your puppy can learn to “hold it.” If at home, be sure to spend some time with him and bring him outside every 50 minutes. Give him praise when he goes to the bathroom outside. Do not scold the dog if he relieves himself inside the house. He won’t know what he did wrong and will learn nothing. When it has an accident, take it out and show it where it should go.
Punishment is an ineffective tool for training your dog. Try to prevent negative behavior, and show your puppy how you expect him to behave if he makes a mistake. Training your dog is a great way to develop a positive relationship with him.
Has your dog been tugging the leash? This is very simple to fix. A harness can make walking your dog a more enjoyable experience. It can also reduce the amount of pulling your dog does.
Stop your pup from chewing on an object that they shouldn’t be if you catch them doing that. Eventually, the puppy will come to understand which items he is allowed to chew. In addition, he will learn not to chew unacceptable items even if he’s left unattended.
If you wish to participate in agility classes, be sure to choose a breed of dog that does well with this sort of activity. Almost any dog can learn and participate in the sport, but some of the more competitive breeds are Australian shepherds, border collies, Labrador retrievers and Shetland sheepdogs.
If you have a large-breed dog, he needs a big bed on which to stretch out. You could buy your dog a big, rectangular bed, or another alternative might be a crib mattress. There are several advantages to doing this since you are able to change the cover with frequency and ease when using fitted sheets. They also have the added benefit of being waterproof!
As you train your dog, consistency is vital. Consistency is important; always repeat commands, tone and rewards. This is the best way to train your dog.
If you are teaching ball-fetching, never chase your dog to get the ball away from him. He must always bring it to you because you are in charge. If you pick up a ball that your dog drops, then your dog will believe he is in charge. By teaching your dog that he is the one who must bring you the ball, he can be aware of what is expected out of him.
If you plan on training your dog, try looking at dog training resources like books and magazines that pertain to your specific breed. Consult with people who own the dog breed that you have to get suggestions. Take the information you gather and craft a training regimen specifically for your dog.
If you want to get rid of inappropriate chewing behaviors, you need to set up the dog’s environment so that he will have fewer temptations. Even more so, an inappropriately-chewing dog needs to be protected. Common items like curtains and hairbrushes are choking hazards that can kill your dog if you aren’t vigilant.
Some dogs only dig in the trash because they are hungry or bored. Empty your trash frequently and don’t put things they like, such as bones, in it. Keep your dog from going in the trash when you leave with the use of a crate.
Keep your emotions from other areas, such as a fight with a friend or family member or being upset with another pet, at bay. You want to avoid using a cold tone that your dog can sense. The point here is that you should only reprimand your dog if he did something wrong a few seconds ago. Otherwise, keep things upbeat.
It is not uncommon for dog owners to express surprise at the simplicity of weaving training your dog efforts into daily life, and how fast they achieve great outcomes. If you are having behavior problems with your dog, read on for some solutions.
A clicker is a good way to reinforce behaviors. When you begin using a clicker, positively associate the clicker noise with positive reinforcement. When you click give your dog a treat right away; do this a lot when you start out. Over time, your dog will learn that the clicking noise means he is doing something correctly.