Having a dog can enrich your life tremendously, but it can also come with its share of difficulty. Many owners simply do not know how to effectively handle canine behavioral problems, and can sometimes make the dog’s behavior worse. If this is your situation, then relax – we’re here to help!
Treats are not the mainstay for rewarding your pet when training. Dogs will learn that if you give them a treat for a response they should expect it always. This is not necessary and should be reserved for occasional rewards. Dogs see loving, physical contact as a reward as well and will enjoy it much more than a treat that is gone in a split second.
Make sure you have a suitable home for your dog to stay, it’s well worth getting a good quality dog cage to keep as your dog’s bed as if you need to you can always close the door. Do make sure you don’t use the dog crate as a punishment otherwise this could confuse your dog.
The best way to prevent your dog from barking excessively, is to make him more comfortable with whatever it is he barks at so frequently. Dogs bark at anything that scares of threatens them, so if you show your dog that the object of their fear is nothing to be afraid of, he’ll stop barking.
Never leave a tied dog unattended for long lengths of time. Even the best trained dog can become excited and active enough that they snarl up their chain or rope around and around itself or another object. If you don’t catch this in time your dog could actually twist his collar tight enough that he suffocates.
If you don’t want your dog to chew your furniture, making it unpleasant, can help. There are many clear and odor free products on the market that you can put on an item. These products will make the item taste bitter or unpleasant, thereby, deterring your pet from chewing it.
The key to potty training a new puppy is consistency. Remember that when he is with his mother, he can relieve himself whenever he needs to, so it will take some time for him to learn that he must wait for someone to take him outside to go to the bathroom.
Do not train your dog through fear of physical punishment. Teaching your dog to respect your commands and dominance will create a healthy and stable pet. Dogs learn to respect the pack leader in the wild by being dominated, not attacked. Physical punishment can lead to an irrational and often violent pet.
When you are beginning any training program for your dog or puppy, the most important thing to remember is consistency. Don’t confuse your pet with different commands for the same behavior. For instance, if you want your dog to stop jumping up on you, don’t use both “down” and “off.” This will make the training easier for both of you.
If you have a dog that begs, the easiest way to train them from this behavior might be to simply remove the dog from the situation. Shutting the dog out of the room at mealtimes keeps them from pestering you while you eat, and removes the temptation for you to give in to that cute face.
Also when you are taking your dog to the vet you must make sure you carry them in either dog cages or dog crates as these will stop them from causing a fuss when in the car.
Spend time each day training your dog, even if for only a few minutes a day. Dogs respond well when they get to practice what they are learning and what they have learned. Practicing at least 15 minutes a day on commands your dog already knows keeps the dog in practice.
Don’t interact with your dog when you are frustrated or angry. Simply put your dog up and take a break. Training will proceed much more efficiently when you return. Each of you will be rested, have a fresh outlook, and be ready to tackle that seemingly elusive training task once again.
A great dog training tip is to always be sure you properly enforce all the commands that are given to your dog. The reason is if you do not enforce them, your dog will not listen to them. You have to be firm with your orders and be sure your dog follows through on them. Do not give up.
Pay attention to your dog’s body language during the training process. Dogs use their eyes, ears and other parts of their body to show you how they feel and what they want. For example, whether they lift or lower their tail can tell you a lot about their mood. If you can interpret your pet’s signals, you will be a much more effective trainer.
Don’t spend hours a day training your dog, especially when it comes to tricks. It is most effective to practice every day, but spend no more than 10 to 15 minutes per session. This ensures that your dog doesn’t get bored and lose interest. Just be sure to reward your dog for good performance and he will be a trickster in no time.
Teaching your dog a “release” command is as important as teaching him “sit” and “stay”. However, when choosing your command word, make sure it is not a commonly used word like “OK”, or “good”. Your dog associates word sounds with commands, and will not understand that you are telling your kids “OK”, not him!
Remember that training your dog to do tricks should not only be fun for you, but fun for your dog as well. Don’t force her to learn tricks if she is not having fun learning them. You will be able to tell if she is enjoying them by gauging her pleasure from your praise after she successfully completes a trick.
Create a regular schedule for your dog. Make sure his meals are at the same time each day, and walk him morning and night. Try to take him out for toilet breaks using a consistent routine. Dogs tend to thrive when they have a schedule that they can follow.
When you toilet train your dog, avoid accidents! Learn to recognize what your dog does when he needs to go out. Pacing, whining and snuffling are common. When you see this, don’t delay. Get his leash and take him out to his designated toilet spot! Praise him for appropriate toileting. Eventually, he will learn to ask to go out.
Every owner owes it to their dog to know the basics of dog training. And the good news is that, even if you know little about canine behavior, there are simple and very easy steps you can take to develop a more positive and healthy relationship with your dog.