When you first get a dog, all you should feel is joy. The following weeks can be frustrating. You may start to wonder why you bothered. To relive that previous joy, you will need to teach positive behaviors to your pet. This article has great tips for canine training.
You need to establish predictable feeding practices with any dog. You can set a firm schedule by teaching the dog to anticipate that the food will be removed within 10 to 15 minutes of the start of mealtime. Your dog will learn to eat in a few minutes instead of going back to the food bowl all day long.
Monitor your own behavior to ensure you aren’t reinforcing your dog’s negative behaviors by mistake. This means denying your dog treats and praise whenever it misbehaves. 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.
Begin the canine training process with a simple task. You will both get instant gratification and establish a good foundation which you and your dog can build on. This will produce better results as you proceed with training.
Dogs need an hour or more of exercise each day, aside from their potty breaks. A dog that is physically active and has the chance to exercise regularly is more capable of learning during training sessions. A dog is happy when it gets it exercise and a happy dog follows orders.
The best way to train a dog is by using positive reinforcement. Your dog should be rewarded with both small treats and happy words. Do not yell at your dog or hit him. These are inneffective punishments and will only cause fear. Stay positive and your dog will pick up your training in no time.
Try to teach your dog good habits right away. You and he will find it much easier to learn how do the right thing than unlearn the wrong. Never give a dog food scraps from the table so that it does not get into the bad habit of begging for them.
Be aware of the other dogs when taking yours for a walk. There are some dogs that are aggressive for reasons that have nothing to do with their owners. Keep your dog at a distance from angry or aggressive dogs.
You should be constantly challenging your dog and re-teaching it the tricks you’ve previously taught it. Throw “pop quizzes” occasionally to be sure he is not getting out of practice.
Research dog breeds if you’re interested in training a dog for agility. Some breeds are just naturally more agile than others.
Pay attention to your surroundings when your dog starts barking. Being aware of what triggers your dog’s barking can help you correct the situation. For example, invite a friend over to assist you in training your dog if he always barks when that particular friend is around.
A big dog that enjoys stretching or lying on his back needs an appropriately sized bed. Think about getting your dog an actual dog bed that fits its larger size; crib mattresses work great, too. The latter option has its advantages. You can just rotate the sheets often by using sheets that are fitted to the mattress. They’re waterproof, too!
If you are going to play fetch the ball with your dog, establish that you are the master by not moving and waiting for your dog to bring the ball back to you. If you ever pick the ball from up where your dog dropped it, then your canine friend will think he is the alpha. Your dog will eventually understand what you expect, always bring the ball back to you and respect you.
You can show your dog to ‘sit’, just hold a dog biscuit in the air. Then you should keep their attention on the treat as you move your hand towards their rear side. This will shift their eyes up during the process. Doing this will cause the dog to sit naturally.
Your older dog may have limitations due to age and illness that prevent it from doing all of the obedience tasks of a younger pup. Joint problems and arthritis can make it painful for your dog to perform some activities like crawling. Training a dog can keep his brain sharp. However, you must make sure that you’re not causing it unwarranted pain during exercise sessions.
Always reinforce positive behavior in your dog. Instead of punishing him when he is bad, simply do not reward that behavior. If you yell and scream, your dog may become very frightened of you. Positive reinforcement is the best way to get your dog behaving the way you want.
Get everyone in your house on the same page regarding puppy training. If you dog barks loudly and you tell him to “be quiet” but your kids say “stop barking” your dog will be confused. Having everyone on the same page when it comes to command usage will make training much easier, more successful and be far more pleasant for your dog.
Patience, commitment and love go into puppy training success. Using the above advice will have you and your dog loving one another for many years. Although it will take time, consistent training will result in more contentment for both you and the dog.