You thought you were bringing home Lassie from the pound, but some days it feels more like you might have brought home Cujo! There is hope! You can train aggressive or naughty behaviors out of your dog.
It takes a while for a dog to get comfortable in a crate. Don’t take it too fast; introduce the dog at his own pace. If your dog seems comfortable inside the crate when the door is open, shut it and feed them a treat. Only keep the gate closed for short periods of time at first and increase time slowly. If the dog becomes overwhelmed, it means that you are moving too quickly for them.
If you have to give your dog a verbal correction, be sure that they are sharp, to the point, and short. Yelling and screaming at your dog is counterproductive. Simply tell them no an instead steer them towards what you’d like them to do. Make sure your voice sounds firm and businesslike.
Your dog should know when calm time is to be had. It is okay to have play time, but when you enter a room your dog should be calm. Try to ignore your dog when your first enter the room because this will help to keep them calm and reinforce that you are in control.
Make sure that your dog stays awake and active. Dogs can get bored very easily. A dog without interest in what you’re doing is more difficult to train. Dogs are more inclined to obey when they are regularly taken out for exercise and happily accepted as a member of your family. A long walk or a brisk run are great ways to get rid of some of your dog’s excess energy.
Dogs have great focus and can focus on one thing, ignoring everything else, until something breaks their attention. Once your dog knows his attention command, you will be able to coerce him to ignore almost anything.
When house training a dog, keep in mind that whatever they take in, they must eventually eliminate. In order to regulate your dog’s toileting habits, you should feed him a good quality food at the same times each day. You can then schedule your walks at the right times to prevent unwanted accidents.
Before your dog can learn a new command it will take several repetitions. You may need to repeat the command more than 20 or 30 times. Using the exact same command and remain patient with them so that they can get it.
Pick a phrase you will say to your new puppy the whole time you are working on house training him. For example, you could use the phrase, “go potty” when you take them outside to help them remember what to do when you go outside and say the command.
Are you house training your dog? If so, then understand that the food and water they consume must come out at some point. In order to foster routine toilet habits, give your dog good food between 2 and 3 times daily on a firm schedule. If you know when the puppy eats, you will be able to better predict when to take him out. This means fewer accidents!
When a dog jumps up on you, grab its paws with your hand and lightly squeeze to let them know that it is unacceptable behavior. It’s uncomfortable, but not painful. Before long, they will stop their habit of jumping on people due to this association.
It is easy to train a roll with treats. The dog has to lay down first. Then, position a treat near the floor to one side of him, raise it up and move it over to the opposite side. He should then roll over while following the treat. As he rolls, state the command “roll over” in a firm tone. Repeat the process until your dog associates the command with the action. This may take time, so don’t become frustrated.
Be sure to always grab your dog’s attention the same way. For example, state your dog’s name before giving a command. First, call his name then give him a verbal or gesture command. Dogs know their name and will be attentive when you speak it.
If your dog likes to bark you need to be aware of why they are doing so. A variety of things can cause this, whether other animals, unknown people or specific sounds. As you begin getting your dog accustomed to these situations, he will be less likely to bark.
Use positive reinforcement when canine training. Rewards include treats, kind words and physical touch. Avoid shouting and hitting the dog. Not only are those things ineffective, but they are also cruel. Maintain a calm attitude anytime that your dog does wrong so that you can have a relationship o mutual respect with your dog.
Using a loose leash is key when you are training your dog to accept a leash. When they’re on a walk, they are anxious to check things out. Their eagerness and energy may cause them to pull on the leash. Teach your dog to relax and let them get used to walking along on a slack leash.
Identify what exactly it is that your dog is always barking at to help curb the behavior. It can be a sound, or being face to face with other people or other animals. Your dog will understand that there is no need to bark in these situations.
Most dogs have anxiety as a reason for chewing. If you give the dog a chew toy and put him in the safety of a dog crate, he can occupy himself while you’re not at the house.
Regular challenges will keep your dog from losing his chops. Test what he knows by giving commands, even if you are sure that he has the skill mastered.
Even the most well-trained dog is still a dog; remember how important it is to provide him with outlets to engage in natural, canine behaviors. There should always be good outlets available for your dog to exercise and keep busy, and do not forget the right diet to provide this energy.
Most people are surprised how quickly their dog can learn from training and how fast they get results. Try out these tips if you are having problems with your dog.
To make the most of your dog training efforts, stay consistent. Make sure everyone involved in your dog’s life uses the same commands that you do. Make sure everyone knows what to do in terms of rewarding the dog when it does well and not reinforcing poor behavior. Different people rewarding and punishing different behavior confuses the dog and makes it difficult to learn.