Training your dog the right way can help to make your home as peaceful as possible for both you and your dog. Give some of the following tips a shot. Some of these tips might make a difference in the relationship you share with your dog.
Try to walk in your dogs shoes before you criticize them. A lot of owners get frustrated when their dog is not understanding a basic command. Try to think the way your dog does. This allows you to gain more insight into what is most likely to work and what should be avoided.
Spoken directions should be made using a simple, concise and forceful tone. Don’t berate your dog with a lengthy speech. Just tell them no, and point them in the desired direction. The tone of your voice should let them know you are serious about the command you are making.
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.
Have a treat prepared for rewarding your dog when they follow a command properly. You want your pet to know that you are pleased with his behavior. This is the proper way to make sure that your dog learns the difference between right and wrong.
When you buy a crate, ensure it is the correct size. Keep in mind that puppies grow big. Choose a crate that is sure to fit them suitably when they hit adult size. There should be ample room for the dog to lie down and turn comfortably.
Don’t approach a strange dog too quickly. Hold our your hand and slowly move closer. He’ll learn your scent and begin to have trust. When the dog becomes familiar with your smell, he will not fear you and will respond to your commands easier.
When training your dog, try to avoid reinforcing negative behavior. Don’t give praise or treats to your dog if it does something wrong. For example, don’t rub your dog’s head when they jump up at you and when you come in the door if you don’t want them to jump.
You should train your dog to walk properly on his leash. This will make sure you are both safe when talking walks.
Have a treat ready to reward your dog after it properly completes a task you ask it to do. The treat helps your dog to know that you think he has done well. This helps the dog understand what is right and what is wrong.
Begin training your dog with what may be easy for him to learn. This will act as a foundation for further training as well as help you see instant success. This will produce better results as you proceed with training.
A consistent schedule of feeding and potty-time is very important when house training your dog. By establishing a regular potty-time every day, you will get your dog in the habit of doing his business at the same time daily. When a dog has a schedule, they also learn the valuable skill of “holding it” until you take him for his next scheduled trip outside.
Stick with positive reinforcement when it comes to dog training. Your dog should be rewarded with both small treats and happy words. Under no circumstances should you be violent or aggressive with your dog in response to negative behaviors. This is ineffective and will just convince your dog that you don’t know what you are doing. Stay positive and your dog will pick up your training in no time.
Using different tones for different training purposes can be a useful tool in training a dog. Praise, commands and corrections ought to have different tones associated with them so that the dog can understand what it is you want. Always be firm when issuing a command. Corrections should be even sharper. Praise should be offered in your natural tone.
You must be firm with your dog in order to train it effectively. However, this doesn’t mean constantly yelling at your dog. Instead, find some balance between being firm and being loving. This will help you build a great relationship with your pup.
While training your dog, you need to introduce it to different social situations as early as possible. They need to become aware of how they should act around other people and dogs. They can’t learn about it otherwise. This also helps to avoid hyper-activity in a new location.
If your pet is a problematic barker, try this training tip. Choose a simple word or directive you can use to quiet him down and discourage barking. As the dog begins barking, display a treat and then repeat your order until the barking ceases. Then, you can award your dog with a treat. If you repeat this long enough, your dog will associate the treat and then the order with being quiet.
Dog’s must learn “down.” You can use it in an emergency, for example. By teaching your dog the command “down,” you can ensure his safety in the event of an emergency.
Using a loose leash is key when you are training your dog to accept a leash. This gives your dog the option to explore and walk around freely. Many dogs will strain against the leash due to their eagerness. Be sure to train your dog to walk on a slack leash right along with you.
You need to balance out the times you call your dog’s name in a positive and negative manner. This ensures your dog doesn’t associate his name with punishments, meaning he’ll come when you call him in future.
It’s important your dog always has an understanding of right from wrong. Your dog needs consistency from all members in a household. One family member breaking the rules for the dog can lead to your dog feeling confused when he is reprimanded. It can quickly undermine your efforts.
Remember that you are in charge when you are walking your dog. Be sure that your dog understands that you are leading the walk, not him. Use a good training collar and a short leash to begin obedience training, and make sure to keep your dog at heel and to pass through doors and gates ahead of your dog. You, not your pet, are in control in this relationship.
It might be hard but you have to be patient when you are training your dog. Dog’s aren’t human and they don’t speak English. He will only pick up on your physical gestures and your tone without knowing why you’re acting such a way. Take a breath and relax if you feel your frustration starting to creep up.
A big dog that enjoys stretching or lying on his back needs an appropriately sized bed. You can buy your dog a bed specially designed for bigger dogs, or buy a mattress for a crib instead. This has its advantages. The most apparent being that you can easily change the fitted sheets on it. Another advantage is that these mattresses are waterproof.
Each time that you use your dog’s name as a warning or a reprimand, try to use it three to five other times in a positive way. Your dog will obey a call to its name and come when you call only if the name is associated with good things.
You can entice your pet to sit on his haunches by waving a treat before his nose as he stands. Move the treat just above the dog’s head, moving a hand behind the dog. This way, the dog will need to look upward to follow along with your hand. Your dog’s natural instinct is to sit.
Remember that you are in charge of your dog. Remember that you are the master, not him. You need to purchase a collar that is made for training your dog, and always get your dog to walk with you when you are out exercising. Do not forget you are the master.
Use positive reinforcement when training your dog. This doesn’t mean punishing them when they misbehave; it means just simply not reinforcing poor behavior. If you punish the bad behaviors, your dog can end up terrified of you. Utilizing positive reinforcement will cause your dog to want to perform good deeds so that they will be rewarded for doing so.
Thunderstorms can cause severe fear in some dogs. Ask your vet for recommendations regarding your dog’s thunder-phobia. Your vet might be able to prescribe a sedative for your dog to take during thunderstorms. This is only for extreme cases, but it can help if things seem hopeless.
When you are adding a pet to your family, make sure that it is introduced slowly to existing pets. Always take stock of your current family pets and how they will react to a new pet. In order to maximize bonding, a new pet will need a personality which complements the personality of the pet you already have.
Check over your doge before taking it to the veterinarian. Pet him across his entire body and praise him if he responds favorably. Practice handling both paw and teeth exams, by examining between the paw pads and lifting the dog’s jowls. Having a close family friend also participate in these exercises will be very helpful.
Your dog may be terrified of thunderstorms. These extreme fears should be discussed with your vet. Your dog could be a candidate for a sedative that can help calm him before the storms hit. You should only medicate a dog that cannot be helped through behavior modification alone; however, when used properly, medication can dramatically improve your pet’s quality of life.
It is important to take your dog on a rather long walk if you plan on being gone for several hours. You will be able to get the dog really tired out, which will help with the anxiety he experiences when you leave.
Make sure that everybody in your household is uniform when it comes to issuing dog commands. Avoid confusion when it comes to disciplining your dog; keep command words consistent throughout the household. Your dog is less likely to become confused and will respect everyone in the household if your family makes a few efforts.
When training your dog, do not use food solely the source of control when it comes to its behavior. This is something that they need to survive, so there should be other rewards. In fact, you can reward you dog without treats at all, such as with praise, toys and petting.
If your dog has had a particular bad habit for a very long time, understand that it will take time to undo it. Whether you or a previous owner allowed the animal to repeatedly engage in activities like chewing, biting or begging, know that you now have your work cut out for you to change it. When the dog is taught it is a bad behavior while it is young, it will remember it.
Regardless of your dog’s age or personality, the tips in this article can help. Be prepared to practice patience. With any luck, the dog will be much happier.
Positive reinforcement should include more than just dog treats. Using food is an effective and popular way to train dogs. That said, you likely don’t always have treats on hand during the times that are not spent formally training your dog. Petting and showing love to the dog are also good ways to reward your dog. You can use these kinds of positive reinforcements to encourage good behavior in addition to treats.