Training Your Dog: How To Incorporate Behavior Modification Techniques Into Your Daily Routine

by | Oct 12, 2022 | Dogs

Dogs need to be trained for a variety of reasons. Dogs can be trained to be hunters, helpers, or just pleasant pets. No doubt, dogs are known for their desire to please. This makes them an ideal pet. This article gives tips and advice on how to properly train your dog.

Get your dog chew toys to get rid of teething pains. Replace the item immediately with one of the dog’s own chew toys. If your puppy seems to be suffering a lot from teething, a frozen washcloth to chew on can give him some relief.

TIP! Crates need to be treated as the dog’s second home. Feed them in their crate and keep it open for them to come in and out.

Dogs have a tendency to zone in on one particular thing until something else grabs their attention. With enough training, your dog should be able to pay more attention to your orders.

Shock Collars

Avoid training devices which are high end such as shock collars. In many cases, they do not live up to the advertising expectations created, and are just more money than more effective and traditional training tools. Plus, shock collars can discourage your dog from behaving properly. In general, using such techniques produces negative effects.

TIP! When training a puppy to use a crate it is important to take your time and start with only a few steps at a time. First, put them inside with the door still open.

If your dog is a jumper, squeeze his paws when he jumps on you to let him know he cannot do this any longer. The dog will not experience pain, but just a brief discomfort. They will quickly learn to avoid doing it in order to avoid the sensation.

Primary reinforcement is an important part of any training program. Primary reinforcement is a positive reinforcement training strategy that relies heavily on things your dog already enjoys. It could be a treat, a toy or even a rub with some kisses. When he likes the outcome, he’ll be more likely to follow your commands.

Avoid accidents if you want to housebreak your dog. Pay attention to the cues your dog displays to indicate that he needs to be outside. Pacing, snuffing and whining are common. If you see your dog doing this, let it out! Take your dog out on the leash and take them to where you want them to go to the bathroom. Praise them for going to the bathroom properly. With some time, your dog will be able to tell you when he needs to go outside.

TIP! You must be willing to invest the time required for practice if you want your training to be successful. Repetition is key in training your dog.

If your dog’s barking is driving you nuts, you might try acclimating the animal to whatever stimuli is causing the undesirable excitement. First, determine what it is that causes your dog to bark- a knock on the door, someone walking by the car, or other cause. Once the dog is acclimated, he’ll begin to see there is not reason to bark.

Use various tones of voice when training your dog. Use different tones for praise and discipline. Commands should be firm yet sharp, whereas corrections require a louder tone. Natural voicing is good for praise and reinforcement.

Leash-training starts with a loose leash. When they’re on a walk, they are anxious to check things out. Their eagerness and energy may cause them to pull on the leash. Rather than allowing this behavior to continue, a looser leash walk should be encouraged by the person in control of the animal.

TIP! Refrain from using extreme devices for training your dog, such as a shock collar. They may not work very well and are far too expensive.

Short training sessions are the best idea. The perfect time is about 15 minutes. More than this ends in frustration. Following training, be sure to praise your dog liberally and have a nice play session.

You need to teach your dog what is right and what is wrong. Everyone who lives with your dog will have to undertake the same behavior for him to learn from your training. This will undermine your efforts and make you work twice as hard to train your dog.

Do not punish your dog when you are training him. Your training efforts should be to prevent bad behavior. Teach your dog what constitutes inappropriate behavior, and what is an acceptable behavior. A positive relationship between you and your dog is what makes training work.

TIP! Remember it is important to be patient when you are training your dog. This will cause you not to be frustrated and angry with your dog during this process.

To prevent your dog from digging in the trash, be sure he is well-fed and has plenty of toys to play with. Empty the garbage can often and do not put things inside that appeal to dogs. Make sure your dog is crated whenever you leave the house, or else empty out our trash.

You may have to be aware of a medical condition that your dog is facing. For example, if your dog has arthritis, asking him to crawl long distances may not be very practical. Training your dog keeps his mind going, and older dogs benefit from this. That said, don’t overdo it and cause them any discomfort as you exercise them.

Use treats your dog really loves to achieve maximum training efficiency. A treat that is normally forbidden, such as table scraps or cheese, is a great choice.

TIP! During the earliest days of training your pet, stick with simple directives. This will cause you to get your dog to learn its first trick quickly, which is rewarding.

Keep tempting items out of reach while you are teaching your dog to stop chewing and chomping on everything he can sink his teeth into. Keep dangerous items out of your dog’s reach. Many household items can be dangerous choking hazards, and some are even poisonous when chewed.

Never shout loudly at your dog if he or she barks unnecessarily. Raising your voice to counteract unwanted barking can come across as a positive reinforcement, confusing your dog. This causes them to think the barking is the right thing to do, so keep your voice down and distract them instead.

Whenever you are teaching a dog a multi-step task, reduce it to a series of smaller tasks. One example is having your dog learn to fetch the paper. The first thing that your dog needs to learn is how to hold something correctly. Next, he must be able to identify an object by its name. Then he must be taught how to pick the item up. Lastly, he should be taught to bring these items to you. If you use simple steps, it will be easier for your dog to understand, and learn quickly.

TIP! Have a good time while training your dog. Taking time to play creates a strong bond between the two of you, and your dog will be more likely to respond well to training.

This article explored the diversity of reasons for training a dog. Dogs are known for their desire to please, which makes a well-trained one a pleasure to have around. By now you should have some great ideas to make training your dog an easy and rewarding experience.