Puppy training is a misnomer; it should actually be referred to as human training. This is because, the dog’s owner must first be able to learn the proper way to train an animal. It is important for people to learn the proper ways to communicate with their pets, otherwise they may reinforce bad behavior. This article offers some good guidelines for first-time dog trainers.
If you want to train your dog, it helps if you can think like a dog. You can easily become frustrated with your pet if they do not learn the basics quickly or not at all. Instead of giving up entirely, you might consider trying to put yourself in your dog’s mindset. Try to see the world through their eyes.
Your dog needs to learn good feeding habits, and this is best accomplished with a clear routine. 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. Doing so will encourage your pooch to eat efficiently.
Get your dog the proper nutrition required for canine health. A poor diet will negatively affect your dog’s skin, eyes, muscles, bones and joints. Not only is it unhealthy, it can affect the way they behave. Providing a dog with fresh water and a high protein diet can have an astounding affect on their health and attitude.
When you are training a pet you need to speak to them in a even and stern tone. This tone tells the dog that you mean business and that they need to obey. You should also work on developing different tones to use in different situations. For example, you can have a sharp one for disciplinary purposes, and a firm, but not-as-sharp one for simple commands.
When getting closer to a dog, move slowly and let the dog smell your hand. This allows the dog to get used to your scent and makes him much more likely to trust you. Once a dog recognizes your particular scent, he will be unafraid and willing to obey.
Be careful not to spend too much time at once training your dog. It is possible that your dog will lose interest if it is made to do the same thing over and over. Keep sessions to a minimum at first. Target 10 minute sessions for increased success.
Identify a single word that you will use as a no-bark command. When it starts barking, show them the treat and say the command until it quits barking. Then, you can give your pet the treat. In time, your dog will learn to be quiet if he wants a treat.
Training has to be consistent. When others are involved in the training, everyone should be on the same page and use the same commands. Your pet will have a better time at learning once it knows what response to expect from his behavior.
You should always praise your dog for his good behavior while you are training him. Smile at your dog and give them treats to reinforce good behavior. Just be sure you never reward your dog after a bad behavior.
Now that the people who are interested in training their new pet dog have, hopefully, learned some new tricks, they can proceed to pass them along to their pets. Once a dog is on its way to learning, the owner will begin to appreciate the dedication that he or she has shown for doing the right thing for man’s best friend.