No dog should ever end up in a shelter because of bad behavior! The truth is that a bad owner who didn’t train them is to blame. Having an obedient dog can be an excellent addition to your family. As long as you are willing to put the time in, training your dog can be an easy and fun process.
Establish a calm environment when you enter a room that your dog is in. Playtime is great but sometimes it is just not appropriate. Do not acknowledge his presence when you enter, so the atmosphere remains controlled until you decide when his play time begins.
Decide on a single phrase that you can say when house training your puppy, and stick with it every time. Each time you let your dog out to relieve himself, use a phrase such as “go potty” so that he associates going outside with going to the bathroom.
Have a treat prepared for rewarding your dog when they follow a command properly. You want your dog to recognize that when you give it a command and it does the task, it is doing what you want it to do. Doing so makes your dog learn what he can and can’t do.
Early in your training, teach your new pup to “leave it.” This command tells him to drop the item and step away. This will help prevent them from chewing on your furniture or other items, as well as prevent them from having dangerous items in their mouths.
Remember to enjoy the time spent with your dog during training. If you do so, your dog will feel closer to you, and even respond to training better. In addition to your daily training sessions, take time out for simple play. Make this uncomplicated and fun for your dog.
When you are in the initial stages of training your puppy, teach him his name first to help create a bond. Use his name as often as possible, and help him learn to come when you call him by it. Your dog should learn these items before any others as they’re the most important. Try to spend a good amount of time with your new dog. The puppy will be more open to more training down the line.
Changing your vocal tone depending on what you want to communicate will help train your dog. Use different tones for orders, praises, warnings and reprimands so your dog can easily distinguish your different reactions. Be firm with your command, speak louder to reprimand your dog and take a softer voice to praise your dog.
Praise your dog to reinforce good actions. Show enthusiasm, smile widely and make sure the dog gets treats after exhibiting the behaviors you want. Do not reward unwanted behavior. This will cause your dog to think that he is doing something good.
Don’t subject your dog to lengthy training sessions. A dog has a short attention span, and a 15 minute training session is just about right. After training, praise the dog for a job well done.
One of the first commands your dog should learn is “down.” This will be particularly helpful in emergency situations. By teaching your dog the command “down,” you can ensure his safety in the event of an emergency.
For every time that you say your dog’s name when correcting behavior, you should say his name several other times using a more positive tone. Your dog will obey a call to its name and come when you call only if the name is associated with good things.
Hopefully, reading the information above is more than enough to make it clear that a rewarding dog-owner relationship is easy to achieve. The needs of your pet need to be paramount in your mind when it comes time to train your animal. The provided steps can help you do this and give you a lovable dog that you will be proud to have.