If you’re new to training your dog, you might need tips on how to train a dog properly. Thankfully, the article which follows has a ton of information you can use.
Make sure that you use a gradual process when training your dog. Start with a quick session initially, adding time with successive training periods. Pay attention to the point when your dog starts to get restless.
Trying to understand how your dog is feeling. Sometimes a dog will be a slow learner, and this can be frustrating. Instead of completely giving up, consider looking at it from their perspective. Try to see the world through their eyes.
Establish feeding habits for your dog. You can set a firm schedule by teaching the dog to anticipate that the food will be removed within 10 to 15 minutes of the start of mealtime. This will set a quality schedule for your dog so that they are ready for all meals.
Your dog should know when calm time is to be had. Play time needs to be a distinctive time you initiate. Don’t acknowledge your dog when you enter the room. By doing this, you will be able to create a controlled environment in which you determine when and how play time begins.
Ensure that your dog gets enough activity. Dogs become bored very easily. Bored dogs are harder to train. A dog that is happy, and gets the attention that they crave, will be a better behaved and attentive dog. Go on runs or long walks together.
Chew Toys
Consistency is key when working on crate training with a young dog. The first thing to keep in mind is that you must let him use the bathroom as soon as he’s let out. When done with consistency, your dog will trust you and wait for the right time to relieve himself.
Teething can be painful which is why your puppy chews on things, so always give him a choice of chew toys to keep him from getting into trouble. Immediately replace it with one of his designated chew toys. Try a frozen washcloth to alleviate the pain of teething for your puppy.
As you begin training your dog, create a verbal cue that allows your pet to understand the exact moment that they correctly complete your command. “yes” is a great bridge word between the dogs positive accomplishment and the reward they receive.
You need to train the dog to walk the right way using his leash. When they walk properly, it makes both of you safer when you both go walking.
Come up with a phrase that you can teach your puppy during house training. Each time you let your dog out to relieve himself, use a phrase such as “go potty” so that he associates going outside with going to the bathroom.
One of the very first commands you should teach a new puppy is the “leave it” command, which tells them to drop an item and step back from 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.
When training your dog, keep track of time during each session. If you spend too much time doing one training exercise, your dog will become bored. Keep the lessons down to about 10 minutes or so.
Use the appropriate tone of voice when you are correcting your pet. Dogs are very intuitive. It is okay to be appropriately stern.
Make a point to enjoy your time with your dog while you are training. If you do so, your dog will feel closer to you, and even respond to training better. Training is fun for your dog, but it doesn’t always have to be about learning something new. Play for the sake of playing.
Accidents will happen sometimes when you house train your pet. Make certain the accidents are cleaned up immediately, so your training efforts cans stay on course. The odors from these accidents will remain in the carpeting, which will attract your pet back to this same spot to use again and again for elimination purposes. Many pet stores or big box stores sell products that help to eliminate the odors from pet accidents.
You need to give your dog some exercise every day. If they are well-exercised, then you will have more efficient training. A dog who has received plenty of exercise is happier and more responsive.
A good dog training tip is to always be aware of other dogs when you’re taking your dog for a walk. Some dogs may be aggressive regardless of how responsible the owner is. If you come across an aggressive dog, make sure to steer your own dog clear of it.
Your dog training needs to be consistent. If you have a large family ensure everyone is involved with the dog training. Use the same phrases and commands in every training session with your dog to avoid confusion.
Spray bottles are the perfect deterrent for bad behavior. Then your dog learns some things aren’t ok. Your dog will learn to associate these behaviors with the water and will stop doing them.
If dog agility classes are the ultimate goal of your training, then you should choose a breed that is suited for it. Any type of dog could learn how to participate in any type of sport. Great breeds that come to mind are Shetland sheepdogs and Australian shepherds.
Even if it’s hard for you, you should keep calm around your dog. Your dog isn’t fluent in English after all. He will pick up physical gestures, and this is how he will learn from you. Stay calm and take breaks during training to ensure it stays positive.
If you catch your puppy chewing on something, firmly say no, then remove the item from him. By doing this your puppy will learn which items he can and cannot chew then, when he is unsupervised, he will be less likely to chew your belongings.
If you are interested in dog agility, it is a good idea to do some research and choose a dog breed that is well suited for it. While virtually any dog can do agility, some breeds – like German and Australian shepherds – truly excel at it.
Consistency is king when it comes to dog training. Your rewards, tone of voice and commands should all be consistent throughout your training so the dog learns what to expect.
Stop your puppy from chewing on something inappropriate immediately if you catch him in the act. This teaches your puppy what is acceptable to chew, making it less likely that he will chew your belongings when you are not able to watch him closely.
Use the ‘shake-can’ trick when training your dog. Put some coins in a hollow soda can then seal it. Shake the can whenever your dog does something wrong. Your dog will stop when they hear the shaking. Once you have done this, your dog will understand that what he is doing is unacceptable. Do not shake the can multiple times or he will become desensitized to it.
Older Dogs
Discourage any bad behavior that occurs when you train your dog. Start by saying “No” in an authoritative voice. Don’t yell at your dog, and never, ever hit him. Stop bad behavior when it occurs or soon after. Dogs have very short memory span. If you don’t correct the behavior immediately after it happens, your dog will not understand what you are doing.
Understand limitations of older dogs. Older dogs are unlikely to be completely trainable, as they will already be accustomed to certain behaviors to some extent. Keep in mind that adopting old dogs may mean you adopt dogs that are set in their behaviors. It’s possible for them to learn new tricks, but it’s best to eliminate the negative behaviors that can be altered and get used to the other ones.
Try to be realistic when you are trying to change a behavior that your dog has done for a long time. If your dog has been allowed to exhibit bad behaviors for a long time, it will be hard to correct those behaviors. It is much easier to address issues when dogs are still young.
Training your dog, as you have read, is not rocket science. After you’ve used these tips, you’ll become an expert on puppy training.
Learn how to give the dog positive reinforcement in training without using treats. Use treats to improve the behavior of dogs. You most likely do not have treats available at any given time, especially when training is not in progress. 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.