You have made a wonderful decision! Training should begin immediately after you have gotten home with your new pet. Good training will leave you and your pooch feeling happier. These guidelines offer helpful insight into the art and science of training your pet.
To achieve the best results when housebreaking a pet, be aware of the food and water he consumes. To help regulate your dog’s bowel movements, feed him 2-3 times per day. Doing so helps you to learn your puppy’s schedule.
The first thing that you must do is to command control over your dog. Your dog must see you as a leader, or they will not follow your commands. In practice, this means that you should walk ahead when walking your dog, for instance, rather than allowing him or her to take the lead.
As you train dogs, it is necessary to utilize a consistent tone and volume when giving commands. This tone tells the dog that you mean business and that they need to obey. It can also help the dog realize the distinction between disciplinary tones and other types of commands.
Approach an unfamiliar dog slowly, offering only the backside of your hand for his inspection. This gives the dog the opportunity to recognize your scent and start to trust you. When the dog knows your scent, he is better able to trust you and follow given commands.
Start training with something simple. This will help you to see the progress you are making, regardless of how small or slow it is. It will also ensure that your dog truly comprehends each step of the training process. This will give you positive results from the onset.
Continue training throughout the dog’s entire life to ensure positive results. Your dog doesn’t stop learning just because it’s no longer a puppy. By reinforcing positive behavior, your dog will remain obedient, just as continued discipline can stop poor behavior from taking hold.
Make sure your dog knows how to obey, to reduce the frequency of their barks. Use negative reinforcement to stop your dog from barking when it engages in this action. Only give the treat when you dog has done as you have asked. Eventually they will stop barking altogether as a result of the positive association.
Your canine training needs to be consistent. If more than one member of your family is training your dog, be sure all people use the same commands, rewards and discipline. The dog is sure to have a simpler time learning, as long as he is asked to obey just one group of commands and is given consistent responses.
Do not quit when you are training your dog. Dogs need consistent reinforcement in what you have taught them so they remember the good behaviors and don’t revert back to their old, disobedient ways they had before training. Much like providing your pet with food, training is a continuous process that is never truly finished.
One of the first commands you should teach your dog is “down”. This is one of the basics, and is good for emergencies. The “down” command is excellent to use when your dog is exhibiting aggressive behavior.
Learn your dog’s body language. Each dog has its own unique way of showing that it needs to relief itself. Discovering the pattern can allow you to get the dog outside in a timely fashion, thus reinforcing desired behaviors. Learning these patterns are optimal towards understanding your dog’s tendencies.
Try using special or unique treats during training to make your dog more interested. Your dog will soon come to realize that training treats will not be run-of-the-mill fare, but special treats he will want to work hard to earn.
If you plan on training your dog, try looking at canine training resources like books and magazines that pertain to your specific breed. Find other people who have the same kind of dog as you and ask them questions. Create your own training your dog program from what you have learned.
Dog training takes time and consistency. Dogs learn best when your training program is applied consistently day after day. Your dog will trust and love you if you spend some time with it every day. This will help him start to see you as a leader.
Older Dog
An older dog can learn new things, but you need to be aware of health issues that might cause his ability to be somewhat limited with certain things. Dogs with arthritis, for example, shouldn’t be asked to crawl all over. Training your older dog benefits his cognitive functioning. Remember that the last thing you want to do is force your older pet to perform certain tricks or behaviors that may cause physical discomfort.
Both the dog and owner are happier when the dog is well-trained. With the information here, you are on your way to successfully training your dog.
