Training a new dog can be a stressful endeavor. However, training your dog is important not only for your pet’s safety, but for other people’s safety as well as your property’s safety. Utilize positive methods when training your dog. Both patience and consistency are required. You should find time every day to train your dog in the beginning; you might have to dedicate a half hour until they get it. The time should be between 15 and 30 minutes; any longer and the dog will lose interest.
When crate training an indoor dog or puppy, you may try some tricks. To entice a hesitant puppy into the crate, give it the incentive of a toy or bone inside, with the door shut. As soon as they smell the tempting treat, they will want to get into the crate to enjoy it. Give your dog some praise when he gets inside, so that he further associates being in the crate with good behavior.
Don’t approach a strange dog too quickly. Hold our your hand and slowly move closer. This gives the dog the opportunity to recognize your scent and start to trust you. As the dog begins to trust you, he will more likely follow your commands.
Try to get your dog on a regular feeding schedule. This gives both you and the dog a heads up as to when they need to go outside, and you can make sure that happens before they make a mess indoors. This helps your puppy learn to “hold it” for a bit, until he knows it’s time to go out and will help save you money on carpet cleaning.
Dogs need at least 60 minutes of exercise time every day, on top of training and bathroom breaks. Making sure that your dog gets enough exercise makes your training sessions a lot more effective and it will also encourage your dog to have good behavior. Dogs that exercise are happier and more responsive.
The first thing you should do when training a puppy is teach him his name. Call him using his name and teach him how to respond when called. It is a good idea to have your puppy learn these words first. Be sure to spend lots of quality time with your puppy, so that he will learn to know and trust you. This will make him more receptive in receiving advanced training in the future.
Create a specific command to stop your dog when it barks. Every time he barks, tell them the silent order and then treat him. Then, you reward them with a treat. If you repeat this long enough, your dog will associate the treat and then the order with being quiet.
Use your dog’s name as much as you can to make sure he is paying attention. Use his name more when he is a puppy. By the time he is grown, he will automatically give you his attention when you say his name. Keep the name brief, and make sure that it does not sound too similar to other commonly used words.
Accidents will happen sometimes when you house train your pet. To help your training stay on track, clean up any messes right away. Urine and feces smells will stay in the carpet if you don’t clean them up straight away, causing your dog to go back to the same place to do his business. A pet shop in your area will carry products specifically for this problem.
If you don’t monitor treat-style training rewards, your dog might become overweight. The calories in treats are often overlooked, but they should also be taken into consideration when planning your dog’s diet.
Start leash training by playing with your puppy while he is wearing his collar. Leashes are important for control and identification if you lose your pet.
You should always take your dog around people when they are a puppy to get them used to it. He needs to learn how to behave around both humans and other dogs. This is best taught early. You will stave off any behavior that is unsavory in the future.
Understand that your every action is teaching your dog and shaping his personality. This is important to know, because you might undo certain desired behaviors inadvertently by teasing your dog or engaging in horseplay. Focus more on encouraging desirable and appropriate behaviors at all times.
Dog’s must learn “down.” You can use this in emergencies, but also as a stepping stone to many other training skills. A dog that understands the “down” command can lower to the ground immediately in a risky situation, so it’s perfect for safety reasons.
Make training as fun as you can for your dog. Training sessions should not be any longer than fifteen minutes, so that the dog’s attention span doesn’t run out before training stops. Rewards should be plentiful and varied. Give your dog plenty of praise and affection for his hard work and efforts. Your dog will be more receptive if you make training time fun!
These ideas will keep your dog on the up and up. Doing this makes your neighborhood, home, and dog safer. When you use the training techniques we have listed, are patient and consistent, your puppy training will be easier.