Ten Tips On Dog Training: Train Your Dog At Home
What dog owner doesn’t want a well-behaved dog? But it doesn’t just happen. Training is the only way to achieve this. In order to be able to successfully train your dog, there is some basic information you need to be aware of before you start. Here then are the top ten tips on dog training.
1. Don’t waste any time in starting to teach your new puppy. Establishing routines right from the start and sticking to these routines is easier than trying to change things up after a period of time. That only succeeds in confusing your pet. For instance, if your dog is not allowed on the furniture, don’t let him join you on the couch one day and then shoo him off when you find him on your couch another day.
2. Show your dog that you are the alpha male or female in the family so he listens to you. But be consistent and fair. Don’t change the rules on him. Decide on a few things at a time that are not negotiable and stick to them. If he is not allowed to beg at the table, don’t sneak him bits of food.
3. Collar and lead training is one of the most important things you can do to have a well behaved dog. Start in on this as soon as possible when your puppy arrives to make training much easier and more effective.
4. Training should be an enjoyable experience for both you and your pet. Be sure to reward him for his accomplishments, no matter how small. Rewards don’t always have to be food. They can be a simple pat on the head, or a “good boy”. You will find that he works that much harder if he knows that you are going to give him a reward for his performance. Use this to accomplish a lot in a short time.
5. Patience is a quality that every single good dog trainer needs to have, and lots of it. Progress should be measured in very small steps. Your dog will not learn and remember overnight. It takes lots and lots of practice before the desired behavior will come naturally. Be sure to reinforce the targeted behavior by repeated practice and rewards.
6. If you need to discipline your dog, do not use the command “come”. This word needs to only be associated with positives. Go to the dog to deliver any discipline. Discipline does not mean hitting. Never hit your dog. This only instills fear in him and damages your relationship.
7. When beginning a training session, it’s always a good idea to review what your dog has already learned before starting on teaching new behavior. Be sure to give him a reward for a job well done and then go on to something new.
8. Don’t extend the lesson too long. When your dog seems to be losing interest or is tiring of the activity, stop the lesson, have him follow a simple command, give a small reward and then do something your dog considers fun to end the session. So, if he loves to play fetch, get that stick out and throw.
9. Start by teaching your dog basic commands like sit, stay, down and come. Only after he has learned these commands and consistently responds to them should you attempt to teach him more complex commands or tricks.
10. You have probably noticed that rewards are used liberally when training your dog. It can’t be emphasized enough how important it is to only reward when a command is executed properly. If you give him a treat whether or not he sits at your command, there is no real reason for him to do as you ask.
Consistently following these tips on dog training will ensure success in training your dog. And we can all agree that a well trained dog is a pleasure to have around.
A comfortable dog bed is a great way to show your dog that you appreciate his hard work during your training sessions. Dogs love to feel warm and cozy. A heated dog bed is the ultimate in comfort. Some dogs prefer a bolster dog bed with its soft padded cushion and bolster which doubles as a pillow.
Tags: dog training
Uncategorized | Chris Station | 05 March 2010 |
