Many dogs are placed in shelters since they didn’t behave the way their owners wanted. Often, this can be avoided. When a dog is trained properly, the can be a beloved family member. Luckily, training your dog doesn’t have to be overly difficult. You just need to be willing to invest some time.
Crates need to be treated as the dog’s second home. Leave food near or inside the crate and leave the door open. This will help them associate good food to the crate.
Try to walk in your dogs shoes before you criticize them. Sometimes, training will get frustrating, but you will need to have patience. It might make things easier if you ask yourself what is going on in your dog’s mind. This allows you to gain more insight into what is most likely to work and what should be avoided.
Encourage your dog to be as active as possible. Dogs are easily bored. If your dog is not receiving enough mental stimulation, it may not respond well to training. If your dog is fit and content, he will be much more likely to heed your instructions. Take your dog on long walks or runs.
Give your puppy something it can chew to help it lessen teething pains, like a toy or a piece of rope. Keep any items you treasure out of reach of your puppy while it is teething. Replace the tasty item you do not want chewed with a designated chew toy. A frozen washcloth can provide teething relief for your pup.
Don’t expect your dog to learn a command the first time you say it. It isn’t uncommon for 25-50 repetitions of this same command to be used for the dog to understand it. Continue repeating the same command with patience, and eventually your dog will learn it.
It is best to train your pet without unintentionally affirming his undesirable behaviors and mistakes. In other words, you must avoid showering your pet with treats or rewards in response to performing some unwanted behavior. For instance, if you are trying to train your dog to not jump on you, you shouldn’t be petting them whenever they do so.
Establish a verbal cue to let your dog know when a command has been carried out to your satisfaction. The word “yes” may serve as a good gap-filler in between the dog’s good behavior and the giving of the reward.
Have frequent or as necessary mini-training sessions to reinforce and keep the rules fresh in your dog’s mind. Many times, owners feel that since their animals have gone through puppy training, they can just forget about it. Some dogs will revert back to negative behaviors if the training does not continue. Make sure your dog has a regular routine.
Pay attention to how much time you spend training in one session. If you try to focus for a long period of time on one command, your dog will show signs of boredom and begin to get antsy. Try limiting training sessions to 10 minutes or less.
If your dog jumps when you don’t want him to, gently squeeze his paws. Do something that makes them uncomfortable so that they can associate their action with something negative. Eventually, they’ll quit jumping on other people because they’ll start associating jumping with this pinching.
Your dog should learn he doesn’t need to respond when you say ‘no’. It is important to be positive when you are training your dog. When you say “no”, your dog does not understand how to react. Every situation and dog is different and their training should be tailored accordingly.
Positive reinforcement is the preferred training method for dogs. You can use treats, toys, positive speech and even belly rubs. Never punish your dog with words or your hands. This just doesn’t work, and it will cause your dog to fear you. Stay consistent and use positive reinforcement.
If your training program is to be successful, you must be committed to asserting yourself firmly. Try not to yell though, as negative reinforcement does not work. This will strengthen the relationship between you and your dog.
Teach your dog a silent command to avoid barking. The next time your dog barks, let him see a treat and give the order for him to be quiet; repeat this until your dog stops barking. Give them a treat. Eventually they will stop barking altogether as a result of the positive association.
As previously stated, the idea of having good dog is not farfetched. Training your pet, offering him plenty of love and attention, and being mindful of your dog’s needs are key. Follow the advice here and it will help your dog become a family member.