Having Trouble Training Your Dog? Try These Great Tips!

Way to go! What is your next step after bringing your dog home? Training your dog is beneficial to both you and your pet. These tips will give you all the tools you need to train your pet.

Don’t allow your dog to jump on you when you get home. While playtime is valuable for every pet, dogs ought to be calm whenever you come into a room. Do not acknowledge his presence when you enter, so the atmosphere remains controlled until you decide when his play time begins.

Ensure that your dog eats well. It is entirely up to you to provide a good diet for your pet. Poor nutrition adversely affects your dog’s health and can cause uncharacteristic behavior. Making sure your dog’s nutritional needs are met helps give them the focus that they need to be able to learn.

Do not tie up several dogs in close proximity to each other. Doing so could cause injuries to the dogs if they become entangled in the chains and attempt to free themselves. For example, a large dog could tangle the chain with a smaller dog, wrapping the chain around the neck of the small dog, causing it to die.

Think of a word you can use as a command during training. Words like “yes” could be an effective way of communicating to your dog that he has done something you are pleased about.

Your tone of voice is very important when you discipline your dog. Dogs are very intuitive. Back up your discipline with a stern, but not angry, tone of voice to communicate your displeasure.

Choose a set phrase for house training your dog. Use the same word or phrase each time you bring him out to go to the bathroom so that he understands what you want him to do and makes a memory link between the phrase and the act.

It is critical that you teach your dog the difference between correct and incorrect behaviors. This means everyone living in the house needs to enforce the boundaries you set. This will undo all your training!

Take caution when near an unfamiliar dog and offer them a chance to sniff your hands. The dog will become familiar with your smell and recognize the scent in the future. After he knows you and your scent, it is easier to command him.

Consistency is imperative when training a dog. Use the same words or phrases for commands and speak them in the same tone each time. This consistency is also appropriate for the types of treats and punishments administered during training.

You need to teach your dog right away that they should drop or back away from something when you say “leave it.” 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.

To keep dogs from digging in your trash, make sure they’re fed enough and have plenty of items to play with. Never put items in the trash that your dogs would not be safe eating. Before you leave your home, empty the trash and put your pet into his crate.

Whenever your dog jumps onto you, grab their paw and gentle squeeze to make sure they understand that jumping is not good behavior. As long as you gently squeeze their paws, you won’t cause harm to your dog. Instead, you’ll just give them an comfortable feeling. It won’t take much time for your dog to associate the unpleasant squeeze with jumping on a person, and he will quickly refrain from doing so.

Reinforce positive behaviors. This does not mean to punish your pet when he does something bad; instead, simply do not reinforce negative behavior. If you punish the bad behaviors, your dog can end up terrified of you. Positive reinforcement is the best way to get your dog behaving the way you want.

Your dog needs an hour or more of exercise every day along with any training or bathroom breaks. Being sure they have enough exercise time can ease training efforts and encourage proper behavior from them. Your dog will be happier and better behaved if he gets enough exercise.

Set the stage for success so that your dog will have little trouble learning what to chew and what not to chew. Be sure to puppy-proof your house to protect your dog from chewing inappropriate and dangerous items. Keep all items which can fit in your dogs mouth, like hair accessories or office supplies, away from your dog’s reach.

Firmness is essential for successful puppy training. You want to avoid being strict all of the time. You need to find the right mixture of strictness and love. This will help you develop a strong bond with your dog.

When house training a puppy, avoid using housebreaking pads. Urine and feces contain enzymes that linger in the area. Dogs are still able to smell these enzymes, especially if the pads leak. Dogs also believe that anything shaped like a pad is acceptable to use as a potty. The best option is to toilet train your dog outdoors.

Over-training your puppy will expose it to too much at once, rendering the training less effective. You need to keep your training sessions short so that your puppy pays attention. A training session that wears your puppy out is going to turn into an unpleasant memory, making him less likely to respond well to subsequent sessions, and more inclined to ignore what you are trying to teach him.

Thunderstorms are a source of great fear for many animals. Consult your vet for advice on how to help your pet cope with these fears. Your veterinarian could prescribe you mild sedatives that will calm your dog in these situations. Many people use this option as a last resort, but it is useful in treating the problem.

Keep a spray bottle handy to deter your dog when it tries to bite people or things. This lets your dog know that specific actions are not acceptable. In short order, the dog is sure to cease such behavior, and assume the role of fun, yet obedient animal.

The commands you expect your dog to learn should be consistent across all the members of your household. If you use different commands for each action, like using “down” and your wife using “lay,” your dog will get confused. The more consistency that your dog deals with, the better it’s chances of being properly trained.

Remember, each action you perform around your dog affects who he is. It is essential to know this because you might inadvertently undo desired behaviors by teasing or engaging your dog in horseplay. Keep directing your dog toward positive behavior without damaging it with negative behavior.

Techniques used in dog training will have to be adjusted to each particular dog. If your dog doesn’t respond well to treats, you may have to try a different reward. Use treats if your dog enjoys getting them after doing something positive.

If you catch your puppy chewing on something he isn’t suppose to be chewing, stop him immediately. This will teach your puppy what he can chew on, and he will be less likely to chew on those things he’s not allowed to put in his mouth.

Get your dog used to the things they will encounter when going for a vet visit. Pet him across his entire body and praise him if he responds favorably. Move your hands over his paws and through his teeth as a way to get him better prepared for the vet’s examinations. Take the next step by having your friends perform the actions to your dog.

If you’re house training a dog, try using a crate. In order to maximize the effectiveness of your crate training, you must make sure to allow your dog out consistently. You will have fewer accidents if you take the time to crate train your dog.

Dog training must be done on a regular basis. Before you feed, pet or take your dog outside, have your dog first sit. If you constantly reinforce your commands, your dog will soon realize that every command applies for every situation. Limiting your training to specific times of the day and specific locations will get you a dog who will only behave under those circumstances.

If you wish to succeed when training your dog, you should commit yourself to a particular length of time consistently. Dogs require consistency and repetition. Your dog will trust and love you if you spend some time with it every day. Your dog will see you as the pack leader.

Don’t ever get angry with your dog. You are teaching and he is learning, so if your dog fails to respond well, it may be that you aren’t the teacher you think you are.

Unless breeding is in your dog’s future, make sure he or she is spayed or neutered before six months of age. This should be happening roughly at the same time as the first obedience class. If your dog is spayed or neutered, they will be much more obedient. Your dog will be happier and he or she will live longer.

Always use the name of your puppy in a positive way. As a result, your dog will respond to its name more quickly and will also constantly be encouraged to behave. Never speak your dog’s name using a negative tone.

Don’t ever assume that a dog won’t bite. If your dog is not trained, they might think they are the Alpha. The more you know about the typical behavior of an alpha, the easier it will be for you to demonstrate those behaviors as rightful leader. Even calm dogs may lash out and bite.

Dogs learn by repetitive technique and reward. The key is to establish a baseline of good behavior, and then reinforce it by rewarding subsequent displays by the dog. This is the best way to teach your dog a new command or trick. Repetition and reward is the way to show them.

Use positive reinforcement when training your dog. Punishing your dog whenever he or she does something wrong is not always necessary. Instead, just ensure you aren’t reinforcing bad behavior. You do not want your pooch to be afraid of you. Reinforcing good behaviors will cause the dog to work harder to please you and receive praise.

Communication is the key to training your dog. You should be as clear as possible, as well as consistent, when you are training your dog. The signals you send to your dog include not only rewards and corrections but also your tone of voice and your body language. Pay close attention to your dog’s actions when giving commands and rewards. By watching and understanding the way your dog communicates, you can discover if your dog is getting fatigued, restless, or is happy.

Dogs that are well trained are normally happy. Once you start incorporating the tips you’ve seen here, you will both be headed for happier times.

If patience cannot be maintained by yourself throughout the training period, don’t do it. You will need to be patient with your dog, or they will become impatient and their attention will be focused elsewhere.