Using Play When Training Your Dog.

Just as you must program your remote to control your television, your dog needs training to respond to your direction as well. You just need to instill these commands into them like a remote. All dogs have the ability to be trained, but it is necessary to go about the task properly to attain the desired results.

Your dog needs to learn good feeding habits, and this is best accomplished with a clear routine. Training your dog to expect that when fed, once or twice a day, you will be removing the food bowl in 10-15 minutes, will lay down a feeding schedule that your dog will adhere to. After some time training the dog this way, it will begin to finish the food before it is time to pick up the bowl.

For the best results in training your pet, you must be diligent about giving rewards and encouragement. Dog treats must be plentiful and strategically timed. It can create confusion for dogs if rewards are sporadic and not administered at the correct times.

“Leave it” is a very important command that teaches your dog to drop whatever it is holding. This should be the first command you teach. This command teaches them to cease chewing on furniture or items around the house and it keeps them safe from filthy or hazardous items outside.

When your dog is a room make sure you are calm when you come in. During playtime allow your dog to be feisty, but teach him to remain calm when someone enters a room. If you do not recognize them right away, they will be more calm.

Over-training your puppy will expose it to too much at once, rendering the training less effective. Puppies have a very limited attention span. When doing training, make them in small short sessions and always make them positive. If you try to do too much too fast, he will associated it as a negative experience and will resist in the future.

Give your puppy his own toys that he can chew to remove pain due to teething, and keep him away from chewing other items. Give it an actual chew toy in its place. Teething pain can be soothed by a washcloth that has been soaked in water and frozen.

The tone of your voice is important during training. Giving a command or correcting a negative behavior requires an authoritative tone, while praise can be softer. The best advice is to use a firm voice for commands, a louder voice when correcting your dog and a higher voice when praising your dog.

Stay very consistent and persistent when starting your crate training regimen. Whenever you let your puppy out of the crate, he must be given the immediate chance to go potty. The dog will grow his bladder so he can hold it for longer and longer this way.

Make sure you’re aware of any other dogs in the area when walking your dog. Don’t assume you can pet a dog, some of them are aggressive. If you happen upon an aggressive dog, walk away from the aggressive dog.

Try not to reinforce bad behavior in your dog by accident. Never give your dog any treats or special attention for doing bad things. 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.

Praise your dog to reinforce good actions. Be positive, excited and provide treats. It is important that you avoid offering rewards to stop an undesirable behavior, however, as this may create an inappropriate connection in the dog’s mind.

It is best to pick a phrase for potty training your dog, and use it consistently. When you take your dog out, repeat this command. This will help him form an association between being taken outside and doing his business.

Don’t give up when you’re training your dog. Unless you constantly enforce desirable behaviors, the training is unlikely to be effective. Much like providing your pet with food, training is a continuous process that is never truly finished.

Primary Reinforcement

It is possible to teach your pup to wait to eliminate, if you are consistent in your training. If at home, be sure to spend some time with him and bring him outside every 50 minutes. When the dog eliminates outside, offer it praise. Never scold your dog for going in the house. Your dog knows no better, and your yelling is not going to change things. Take the dog for a walk approximately 15 minutes following a meal or a drink and each time it comes out of the crate.

Primary reinforcement should be used when dog training. Primary reinforcement uses something that is inherent for the dog to love as a reward for good behavior. Some examples of primary reinforcements are food and rubbing the dog’s belly. This lets your dog know how to earn something it wants.

Your dog should enjoy his training and look forward to it. Keep training sessions to more than 10 to 15 minutes to stay within your dogs’ attention span. Vary your rewards. You should praise your dog when he or she does a good job. Your dog will be more receptive if you make training time fun!

It is important that you teach your dog proper behaviors from day one. Trying to change bad behaviors after the fact is far more difficult than teaching them the good ones right away. If your goal is to keep the dog from begging for table scraps, it is advisable to never give him any table scraps to begin with.

When dogs become bored or anxious, they often chew on items. Crate training your dog and giving him items to play with while you’re gone should help keep both your home and dog safe.

Pay attention to other dogs while walking your canine companion. It’s not always the owner that is responsible for a dog being aggressive. If you come across a dog that seems aggressive avoid it.

Does your pet strain and pull every time you put him on a leash? This is a common complaint that owners have with their dogs and it’s simple to fix. Trade your leash for a dog harness. Harnesses can be more comfortable, and allow you to enjoy a walk without your dog pulling on its leash.

If you take your dog with you when you travel, pack everything he needs for eating, sleeping and eliminating. Paper towels, food and water bowls, and bags for waste are critical for a smooth ride. Don’t hesitate on taking a handful of your dog’s favorite food with you. This is much easier than buying at your destination.

If you catch your puppy chewing something that he should not be chewing, put an immediate stop to it. This will help your puppy to learn what things he is allowed to chew and what he is not. He will then be less likely to chew on your belongings and instead will turn to his toys when he wants to chew.

By being consistent in toilet training, you dog will learn to wait until he is outside to relieve himself. When you are home, take your dog outside hourly. Every time your dog potties outside, be quick to praise him. If your dog has an accident in the home, do not scold him. He is not yet aware that this is wrong and he is going to learn if you just yell at him. Once your dog drinks or eats, take him out 15 minutes after finishing. Also, be sure to take him outside after he has exited his crate.

You should not let your dog drag you when you are walking him or her. You are the one leading him. When starting obedience training, utilize a training collar along with a short leash, and be sure to heel your dog when you walk and go through gates and doors ahead of the dog. The dog should always remember that you’re the captain!

While it might be hard, make sure to be patient with your dog. Dogs don’t understand English and he isn’t a person. An animal cannot grasp your thoughts and can only interpret your tone and nonverbal cues like gestures and facial expressions to some degree. Stay cool, and take a break if you need to. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your dog won’t be trained in one day either.

Make sure your dog has gotten its shots. If your dog is going through a tough time with training or seems to be regressing, ensure his health is good. Sometimes, dogs will mask discomfort, making it hard for you to tell how they are feeling. Behavioral changes may be the only cue you get that there is a deeper issue. If your dog seems angry or mean, it might mean they are experiencing some pain.

Giving lots of treats for good behavior is important to do with your puppy. Once he gets used to this system, cut down on the frequency of treat-giving until you’re only giving him a treat occasionally.

One good training method is known as “shake-can”. Take an empty can of soda, place some spare change in it, and seal it up. If the dog does something wrong, shake your can once as hard as you can. Your dog will be startled by the sound and will cease the behavior. After a few times of this, your dog will get that this is not the behavior you want. Only shake the can once, if you do it multiple times your dog will desensitize.

Once you have worked with your dog and taught him what you want him to know, you just need to practice these skills. The dog will enjoy pleasing the owner as much as the owner enjoys seeing the dog responding to the training they are administering.

Your dog can provide clear indications of his wants, needs and preferences. If your dog shows you that it is uncomfortable when it meets new animals or people, don’t push him. Your dog may have good reason to be uncomfortable, and you must respect that. Forcing him to interact can lead to unwanted consequences, such as a bite.