Some dog owners are blessed with naturally obedient animals. You might not be one of them, but that’s no reason to sit still and put up with a willful dog who acts aggressive, behaves improperly in the house, or refuses to obey simple commands. Use these tips to transform your pet into a happy and well-adjusted furry friend.
When crate training your new puppy, take it in small manageable steps so the animal can become accustomed to the changes easily. When your dog appears to be at ease while inside the crate with the door ajar, you can help him adjust to the crate even further by slowly latching the door and rewarding him with treats fed to him through the spaces between the wires. Start off only putting them inside for 10 seconds, and when they seem okay with that, slowly increase the time they are inside. If the puppy becomes upset, you may be progressing too quickly.
If you have to keep your dogs outside, never tie them up too close to one another. Doing so could cause injuries to the dogs if they become entangled in the chains and attempt to free themselves. If one dog is larger than the other, it could accidentally tangle the cord around the smaller dog’s neck, causing it to become unable to breath, and possibly die.
As your dog becomes increasingly more responsive to training, you can begin to give him more freedom. Your dog will flourish with a good balance between control and respect. Don’t give too much at any one time, of course, or it could take your training back a step.
The daily training sessions with your dog should be fun. A sense of play brings you and your dog together. This bond makes the dog more responsive to your commands and training him easier. Having fun with your dog during training is one thing, but playing and having fun with your dog outside of training is also necessary.
Exercise your dog at least an hour everyday in addition to its regular potty breaks outside. Your training will be easier and more effective if your dog gets good daily exercise. Dogs that exercise are happier and more responsive.
Use positive reinforcement when puppy training. Remember to show your dog positive attention when they do something good as often as you can. Don’t yell and/or hit your dog. Doing this will cause your dog to act out even more and lose respect for you. To get the best results from your training your dog, you need to be firm and consistent, staying positive at all times.
Use your dog’s name as many times as you can, this will keep his attention on you. Do this consistently during the first several weeks to get your dog to pay attention to you. A short name which sounds distinct from many other words is preferable.
The best way to teach a dog good behavior is to never let poor behavior take hold. The sooner you start training the dog the better, because they have not learned bad habits that you will have to correct. Don’t feed your dog scraps if you don’t want want him begging at the table.
When you’re consistent with your dog, they’ll be better able to hold off on their urge to eliminate. When you are home, take your dog outside hourly. If he does go to the toilet outside, praise him. If your dog has an accident in the home, do not scold him. Your dog doesn’t come out of the womb potty-trained, and it takes time to learn. Yelling or punishing is not helpful. Once your dog drinks or eats, take him out 15 minutes after finishing. Also, be sure to take him outside after he has exited his crate.
Teach your dog the “down” command. You can use this command in emergency situations and to build on other training commands. Dogs that understand the “down” command are able to hit the ground whenever necessary, which is valuable in times of danger.
Make sure your dog knows right from wrong in all instances. Everyone in the household must consistently enforce the boundaries you have established. This will undermine your efforts and make you work twice as hard to train your dog.
Do not give up, even if your pet is currently running wild in your home. Patience and information are all that are required to train that dog. Implement the advice you’ve read here, and your dog will be well-behaved in no time.