Training your dog is a lot like programming a new TV remote. Your dog already is capable of doing the most common commands, but it must be trained to follow instructions. Dogs aim to please their human companions, which makes them eager to learn new tasks and tricks.
Make sure the diet you are feeding your dog is healthy and nutritious. If the dog’s diet is poor, it is not good for their health. It can negatively impact a dog’s health and disposition. By simply improving the diet that the dog gets, you may notice a great improvement in how receptive they will be when it comes to training.
By training your dog, you are helping him to become a rule follower. A lot of times owners thing training is a one time event. Some dogs will revert back to negative behaviors if the training does not continue. This shows that you need to do periodic refreshers so that your dog continues to follow the rules.
Treats are necessary when teaching a dog fancy tricks like rolling over. The first step is a simple “lay” command. Then hold one treat near his head and near the floor. Pull the treat over the dog until your hand is on the other side. He will probably follow the treat, rolling side to side as it moves. While rolling, use your vocal command. Have patience since your dog may not get the trick quickly. However, once he does, he’ll be the center of attention at the dog park.
If you plan on housebreaking your pet, you must work hard to avoid any preventable mistakes. Learn to know the things your pet does when it needs to go. If your dog is pacing or whining, you need to take them outside. When you know the cue, take action immediately. Quickly leash your pet and lead him to an area where he can relieve himself. Praise them for going to the bathroom properly. They will eventually ask to go outside.
You cannot rush through the training process. A puppy’s attention span is short and their energy is limited, so your sessions should be short and positive. When you put too much training on the animal at one time, it can stress the animal and work against what you are trying to accomplish. So keep it short, intense, and create a great bonding and training routine for your new puppy.
Use different tones when training your dog. Your commands, praise, and scoldings should have different tones so that your dog can distinguish between them. Use a sharp and firm tone for commands and a loud tone to correct his behaviors, saving the natural tone for praises.
Giving lots of treats for good behavior is important to do with your puppy. Fade the treats gradually until the pet is only receiving a small amount of the treat, then substitute a pat or verbal praise for the treat.
Before you correct your dog for barking, find out why he/she is barking in the first place. Knowing what triggers the behavior can help you deal with it constructively. If you notice that your dog barks even after visitors have arrived and settled in at your home, ask a friend to help you with this behavior.
Some dogs fear of thunderstorms can cause them harm. If you dog is scared of thunderstorms, visit your vet. Your veterinarian can suggest and prescribe some mild sedative for your dog to take prior to a storm. This is a last resort when the problem cannot be handled any other way. It will be a huge help if this is a serious problem.
Make sure you are aware of any signs your dog shows you that he or she is uncomfortable with something. When your dog seems uncomfortable, keep people or animals away. Dogs have their own reasons for feeling uncomfortable and they should be respected. Pushing a dog too far past their comfort zone can result in aggression, or even a bite.
If your dog has had a particular bad habit for a very long time, understand that it will take time to undo it. If your dog has been allowed to do a bad behavior for a long period of time, it will take some time to change the behavior. It can often be simpler to change a dog’s behavior if it was handled when your dog was a pup.
Dogs can learn a multi-step behavior by stepwise refinement just like humans can. This includes tricks like training your dog to retrieve your newspaper. The first step is him holding an object. Then the dog needs to begin learning to go for the object when given the name as a command. After mastering this, he should be taught how to pick something up. Then, he should give it to you. If the behavior is broken down into steps, the dog will more easily understand what is expected of him.
To train your dog, you should work on it daily and with gradually increasing intensity. Always have your dog sit before any activity. Reinforce your lessons in different settings so your dog understands he needs to obey all the time. If you do not train your dog in all kinds of settings, it will only be obedient periodically.
Be consistent with your cues when training a dog. Your dog can learn to associate a command with a particular behavior, but if you keep changing the command associated with a behavior, you’ll confuse him and he won’t do what you want him to do. The best tip is to stay consistent. Establish a short list of vocabulary associated with communicating with your dog.
You must practice the behaviors you want your dog to exhibit if you hope to have an obedient pet. You should not expect yourself to be a perfect dog trainer when you first begin. You have to practice, practice, practice. This is especially true for the training of your dog.
Hopefully you now feel more capable to train your dog after reading this article. Your dog wants to please you just as much as you like to see him behave well.