You might be tempted to think of dog training as merely a necessary step between acquiring your dog and enjoying your pet’s company. This would be a mistake, though. If you take the time to educate yourself on the process, you can make dog training just as enjoyable and rewarding as the dog-owning years that follow it. Read on to pick up some helpful tips to improve your dog-training skills.
There are several techniques to make crate training your dog easier. To entice a hesitant puppy into the crate, give it the incentive of a toy or bone inside, with the door shut. Your dog will want the bone and will be unable to resist entering the crate. Praise your dog once he gets into the crate.
Training your dog to walk on lead takes time. The idea is to have your dog walk obediently beside you without straining, tugging, and pulling from side to side. Correct your dog’s movement with short snaps of the lead that pull sharply and abruptly back against his momentum. He will stop pulling and walk complacently for a time beside you. During this time loosen the lead but when he pulls again snap the lead again.
Focus on making the training sessions with your dog fun. All animals behave better when they enjoy being good. Use whatever your dog likes, including toys, attention and privileges, to help make training a game rather than a chore. You will probably be surprised at the type of results you get from your animal.
Make sure you’re not reinforcing an undesirable behavior. You don’t want to give your dog treats or special attention during training if they’re not performing the task properly. If you do, then they’ll think you’re pleased and continue to do things the way they’re doing them, and they won’t improve.
To have an obedient dog, you should establish yourself as a master right away. Do not let your dog bite you or jump on you. You have to punish or reward your dog constantly. Never let your dog get away with anything, or even worst, become hostile towards you.
If you aren’t having success training your dog on your own, hiring a trainer can help. Trainers are specially qualified to work with difficult dogs, and find easy ways to modify troublesome behavior. Many a dog has been able to remain with his family because of the help of competent trainers.
Teach your dog to “drop it”. You never know when that command will come in handy. Be generous with praise and treats as you work with this command, and continue to practice it from time to time even after your dog has mastered it. A word to the dog sure beats having to wrestle unsavory objects out of a dog’s mouth.
When training, only use short sessions. In fact, 15 minutes is an optimal limit to have on each session to reduce frustration on your part and your dog’s. After every training session, be sure to play with them and praise them a lot.
Your rewards should suit your dog’s personality. You wouldn’t work for free, so why would your dog? Make rewards match the difficulty of the task. Regular treats are great for behaviors your dog already knows, but don’t be afraid to pull out something truly stinky and tempting to teach new challenges.
For dogs that tend to pull, consider the equipment you are using. The neck is the strongest part of a dog’s body, so walking dogs on collars will only work for dogs that are already very mellow. A head halter or an appropriate harness will help for pulling dogs. Harnesses should clip from the front, as ones that clip in the back may encourage pulling more.
If your dog is big on chewing, make sure he has plenty of appropriate items to take his energy out on. The number one reason for destructive chewing is inadequate or inappropriate toys. Seek out rubber toys meant for busy mouths, particularly those you can stick sumptuous treats inside of. Your dog will spend more time chewing these, and less time on your table legs.
When training your pooch, patience is a virtue. All dogs learn at their own pace, and getting frustrated with your pet often adds to the dog’s confusion. Avoid punishing your dog for misbehavior and offer rewards for good behavior instead. Dogs love treats, but you can also reinforce the desired behavior with love and affection.
Feed your dog twice per day (or number of times your veterinarian recommends), and then take the food away after 15 minutes. When giving treats, ask your dog to sit or lay down, so they understand treats should be earned. When your pet understands you are the food provider and treats are not simply free, they see you as the leader.
Leaders should always go first, and you should teach that to your dog. If you walk through doors and your dog rushes past you through the opening, it means you do not have control and your dog believes he is leader. Blocking the door so he can’t get through first, or teaching him to sit or stay while you walk ahead, helps him understand he needs to stop and follow your lead.
Your dog needs attention but you need to show him affection or play in a way that trains him to see you as the leader. When a dog tries to get you to pet him constantly or asks you to throw a ball for hours, it may be because he assumes he is your leader. Ignoring his requests for constant attention, and ignoring the ball until you are ready, helps him to understand who is in charge.
These tips are just a few of the ways you can make dog training more enjoyable and fulfilling for you and your pooch. You should not consider the training process as a separate phase from your overall dog-owning experience; when you do it well, training can be just as rewarding as any other time spent with your dog.