There are many schools of thought on the best ways to train your dog. Whether you believe your dog should be allowed to sleep with you in your bed or if you think that your dog is a pet that should stay off the furniture, you can teach your dog basic obedience and commands.
Using a crate when you’re not at home can be very effective, especially for a young puppy. The crate keeps your puppy safe and secure, and also protects your home from chewing and bathroom accidents. Your puppy can learn to feel comfortable and protected in his crate home while you are away.
One of the most important things to remember when training your dog is that it is a lifelong process. Many owners think that once their pet has the basics down, the training process is over. Dogs, much like people, learn throughout their lives, and consistent training will help them to be well-behaved and friendly.
Young puppies are prone to chewing on their owners belongings. You can address this problem by immediately stopping your puppy if he chews an inappropriate item. You should then, instead, give him the toys that he is allowed to chew. Praise your dog anytime you finding him chewing a permitted toy. Remaining consistent with this training method can save your favorite furniture or pair of shoes.
Your dog needs to be active frequently. Dogs become bored very easily. Conditions of boredom are not conducive to training. Your dogs will obey more quickly if you keep them well exercised. Bring your dog along when you walk or jog.
Don’t expect too much of your dog, too soon. Puppies will be puppies. That is what makes them so cute. The key to training them to act appropriately, is consistency. Be consistent in immediately reinforcing good behavior and eventually, your dog will get the message. Just don’t expect them to become fully trained overnight.
A very important command that any dog should know is ‘stay’. Not only can this command stop him from doing something dangerous like running into the street, it can calm him down in a strange place. Firstly, tell him to ‘sit’. Hold him in the sitting position, repeating the word ‘stay’. Praise him with a treat, all the time ensuring that he stays seated.
Consider hiring someone to help you train your dog. Just like playing a sport, pet training is a skill that takes time to develop. Everyone has their own style, and it may be that the way you are interacting with your pet is not quite working. Another person can help you see how to tweak your training sessions to make them a better fit for you and your pet.
If possible, position your dog’s crate next to your bed. This is a critical step in teaching him that is where you want him to sleep. Since you are still within sight he isn’t as likely to panic about having to stay in the crate for an extended period of time.
Giving your dog a proper exercise routine will vastly help you with your dog training. Dogs have a very demanding exercise life style, when left unchecked they can develop bad behaviors which travels all the way down the chain. When you take your dog out for a run or walk daily, it helps by giving them incentives for good behavior, and as an added bonus, the exercise can help you stay fit as well.
When you are trying to train your dog to follow a command, repetition is key. Practice the command multiple times a day and be sure to offer your dog praise and a treat when he or she successfully follows your command. Repetition will ensure that your dog will remember and follow the command in the future.
Set your dog up to succeed for the end of a session. End all of your training sessions with a command that you know that he can do and reward him for his effort. You don’t want him to come away depressed about training time, but you also don’t want to reward him if he was not responding well during the session. Giving him a task or command that you know he can do allows you to reward him without confusing him.
For your dog to understand what you are punishing them for, you need to catch them misbehaving. If you reprimand a dog for something that happened hours ago, chances are your dog will not make the connection. And if you choose to ignore your dog to show that you are mad, do not ignore it for more than a few minutes.
When training a dog it is important to reward good behavior while punishing bad behavior. Careful effort to maintain a clear distinction between good and bad behavior will go a long way towards overall training of the dog. This will guarantee that the dog knows why it is being rewarded or why it is being punished.
When house training your new puppy you need to follow a strict schedule. Get your puppy outside to eliminate first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and every couple of hours in between. This will help him to learn that elimination happens outside. It also prevents pee scents (which are attractive to your dog) from being in the house to begin with.
A great dog training tip is to get everyone on the same page. If you’re trying to correct certain behavior, you don’t want a family member enabling that bad behavior. By having everyone on the same page, your dog will be much more likely to respond to training.
Your opinion on what truly means a dog is “trained,” may differ from your neighbor, friends, or even dog training instructors. Whatever your beliefs, by training your dog to follow basic commands and to obey your instructions, you will create a happier, safer home for you, your pets, and other members of your family.