Dog owners buy their pet expecting things to turn out well. Yet, all too often things don’t go as expected and the dog is given to an animal shelter. This doesn’t need to be the cause, though. Properly trained dogs have the potential to be charming, happy and loving parts of any family. A great dog can be yours; just read on.
Timing is everything in puppy training. While you want to devote a good amount of time to it, you do not want to go too far. Small, focused sessions are necessary at the beginning. Once your dog is distracted, it is time for a break.
You need to establish predictable feeding practices with any dog. Training your pet to expect when to get food will teach him a feeding schedule in which he could adhere to. Before long, your dog will learn to eat more quickly and efficiently.
Dogs have great focus and can focus on one thing, ignoring everything else, until something breaks their attention. Your dog can learn to focus less and less, except for your commands, by using repetition.
Shock Collars
Stay away from high end training devices like shock collars. These devices are expensive and do not always work as well as you would expect them to. In addition, shock collars and related devices can actually irritate your dog and eradicate current good behaviors. Generally, techniques such as these actually produce negative results.
Have a treat prepared for rewarding your dog when they follow a command properly. They need to know that the behavior they have done is exactly what you wanted them to do. This will teach your dog what behavior is correct and expected.
If you encounter a dog with whom you are not acquainted, you should do so slowly and with the back of a hand outstretched. This gives the dog the opportunity to recognize your scent and start to trust you. As you become close to one another, fear will be diminished and opportunities to learn together will be increased.
When house training your pup, you should adhere to a regular schedule of feeding and elimination. This will help you better understand when your dog needs to go outside, so he doesn’t go on the carpet and ruin it. This will also teach your dog “hold it” until her next trip outside.
When a dog jumps up on you, grab its paws with your hand and lightly squeeze to let them know that it is unacceptable behavior. While this will not seriously hurt the animal, it is certainly unpleasant and therefore makes a powerful statement. After a while, they’ll stop jumping due to this uncomfortable feeling.
Regular challenges will keep your dog from losing his chops. Test your dog on occasion, to be sure that he remembers what you have taught him and help him keep it fresh in his mind.
As we have discussed in this article, owning a happy, healthy, and well-adjusted dog is not an impossible dream. The needs of your pet need to be paramount in your mind when it comes time to train your animal. Follow the steps listed above and your dog will become, and remain, an important part of your family.