Many dogs are sentenced to a life in a shelter when things get too stressful at home. This is avoidable in most cases. A well-trained pooch can be a welcome addition to any family. Use the information below to help your dog become well mannered and an obedient family member.
When crate training your new puppy or dog, there are a few tricks you can apply. If your pet is nervous about the crate, consider putting a toy or treat inside to motivate them to go in. Temptation wins with this exercise; your dog will be eager to enter the crate when a treat is waiting for him. Upon entering the crate, praise your puppy to make sure it knows it did a good job.
When you are using a dog crate in your training, you need to help your dog get used to it as his home. When you feed him, feed him inside the crate, and keep the door open while he is in there eating. This will help the dog make a positive association between the food and the crate.
Dogs tend to concentrate on one thing to the exclusion of everything else unless that concentration is interrupted. Dogs learn by repetition so with continued training, your dog will immediately focus on what you are saying.
If you are attempting to crate train your dog, remember that it is a multi-step process. 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 dog becomes agitated, slow down a little more to make them more comfortable.
Keep your voice firm and level when delivering commands to your dog. Your tone conveys seriousness to the dog and the fact that they must obey you. Doing this also ensures that your dog will know the difference between your “you’re in trouble” voice and your “do as I say” voice.
Rewarding your dog properly and generously is important when it comes to training them. Giving you pet treats in a timely manner is very important. Make sure to give your dog the treats at the proper time, to encourage good behavior.
Limit the time of your training sessions with your dog so he doesn’t lose focus. A long, uninterrupted training period is going to exhaust your dog’s attention. Aim for less than 10 minutes per session.
Make sure you establish feeding routines and times for your dog. A predictable feeding schedule and removing the food promptly will teach them to eat their food quickly. This will set a quality schedule for your dog so that they are ready for all meals.
Bond with your puppy by making sure he learns his name before anything else. Call him by name frequently, and teach him to come when called. These are the preliminary words that your dog need to know. Spend a lot of time getting to know your pup, and building a loving relationship with him so he knows who to trust. Once your puppy trusts you, it will be easier to train him.
Look out for your dog’s nutrition the same way you would look after your own. The effects a bad diet has on your dog extend further than you might think. Not only does it affect the dog’s health, but it can have an impact on its behavior. Improving your dog’s diet will also improve its mental capacity.
When you are trying to house train a puppy, it is not going to learn overnight, so be prepared. Clean up any messes that are made immediately, so it doesn’t hamper your training efforts. If your carpet begins to smell like urine and feces, your puppy will believe that it is the right place to potty and return to it again and again. Check any local stores or pet shops for products that are specifically designed to remove the urine smell from a carpet.
Never reinforce your dog’s bad behaviors. This means don’t give your dog treats or attention for something he should not be doing. This includes things like petting them when they jump on you at the door.
Use a spray bottle filled with water to prevent your dog from doing things it should not do, such as scratching the furniture or biting. A quick spritz instantly deters your dog from the undesirable behavior. If this method is successful, you will get these negative behaviors under control and be able to enjoy your dog.
Avoid letting your dog have accidents when potty training. Sometimes, your dog will have triggers for when its that time. He could be snuffing, pacing or even whining. When you see this, don’t delay. Get his leash so you can take him to the designated potty area. Reward the dog for using the bathroom outdoors. Soon, he’ll get the picture that he can ask to go outside.
Dogs need to learn to socialize early in life. He needs to learn how to behave around both humans and other dogs. This is best taught early. You will stave off any behavior that is unsavory in the future.
When housebreaking your puppy, accidents will happen. Immediately clean up every accident for training purposes. You pet will smell the urine and try to urinate there again. You can buy a spray or carpet shampoo that will remove the odor.
Each and every thing you and your dog do together is forming his behavior and personality. This is something you need to know since you might undo desired behaviors with horse-playing or teasing them. It is important to shape the dog’s progress by consistently striving for good behavior.
Remember, each action you perform around your dog affects who he is. Realize that you could very well sabotage your own training efforts with innocent activities such as rough-housing. It is important to shape the dog’s progress by consistently striving for good behavior.
Training should be fun for your dog. Keep training sessions to more than 10 to 15 minutes to stay within your dogs’ attention span. The dog should be given ample rewards in various forms. When your dog does a good job, shower him with praise. The more enjoyable training is for your dog, the more he will look forward to it!
As with most things, and this goes with dog training as well, don’t ever give up. You will need to give your dog continuous reinforcement, or he or she will go back to how they were before being trained. Training is something you do with your dog all the time, just like feeding and grooming him.
Give challenges to your dog on a regular basis. Try giving them “quizzes” to see what they know, even if you know they will succeed.
It is not outside the realms of possibilities to be the proud owner of a well-adjusted and perfectly trained dog. Training your pet, offering him plenty of love and attention, and being mindful of your dog’s needs are key. Embracing the ideas presented here will lead to you owning a pet that you will always be proud of.
Stay consistent when you are trying to train your dog. Write down a list of all the commands you use, and inform anyone who commands the dog to use the words on the list. Anyone needing to handle your dog should follow the same program, using reward for good behavior and taking care to never reward bad behavior. Having different people respond differently can confuse the dog and make training more difficult.