Investing the necessary time and effort into dog training is one of the best things you can do, for both you and your canine companion. As the years go by, you will appreciate your well-behaved pet and the place he has earned in your family. This article can help you learn more about the importance of training your dog.
A main focus of training is timing your sessions appropriately. Begin with a training session that lasts a few minutes, and do it for a bit longer every day. Once your dog is distracted, it is time for a break.
Unless you offer a distraction or stimulus, your dog will probably focus exclusively on a single thing. When a command is reinforced properly and often enough, your dog will begin to shift his focus from the distractions around to you in order to wait for your signal.
When training your dog, try to avoid reinforcing negative behavior. Thus, you must not reward the dog if it does something you are working to stop. For instance, don’t pat your dog on the head if it’s jumping up on you.
Decide on a single phrase that you can say when house training your puppy, and stick with it every time. Whenever you take your pet outside to use the bathroom, choose a phrase, like “go potty”, so he remembers what he is there to do.
You need to leash train your dog. This is important for both the dog’s safety, and your own.
Only train your pet with positive reinforcement methods. Sweet treats or gentle petting are great rewards when the dog is behaving properly. You should not hit or yell at your dog. This teaches your dog nothing and will just show him that you do not know how to train him. Be positive, firm and consistent to get great results while you train your dog.
Avoid accidents when potty training your dog. Try to recognize your dog’s body language and anticipate his need to go out. Some of the most common and obvious displays include whining, sniffing and pacing. Do not hesitate when you see your dog do that. Put his leash on and take him to the place you wish him to go. Reward your dog for getting your attention when he needs to go out. Soon, your dog will signal you when he needs to go outside.
Continue training your dog throughout its life to make sure that its good behavior persists. The dog does not stop learning as it grows older. You have to train your dog to keep up the good work so it never reverts to bad habits.
Use the dog’s name as much as you can to make sure it pays attention. Use it constantly in the first few weeks that you have your dog: your puppy should associate this sound with paying attention to you. The best dog names are ones that are short and are different from other commands.
When using a leash on your dog, ensure the leash remains loose. Dogs want to see what’s going on around them at all times. Excited pups tend to place some strain on the limitations of the leash. Some owners do not encourage this behavior and instead, allow some slack on the leash.
Dog Requires
As with most things, and this goes with training your dog as well, don’t ever give up. Your dog requires consistent reinforcement of training, or he may quickly forget what he has learned. Your dog requires food, shelter, companionship, and instruction from you every day, throughout your relationship.
Make sure you are consistent when you train your dog. Write down the specific commands you want to use with your dog, and get everyone in your household to review the list and use the same words. In addition, make sure that the behaviors of the dog are treated consistently. Good behaviors get rewarded; bad behaviors do not. Your dog will understand what is required if everyone involved uses the same approach.
Think of training your dog as an investment. A badly behaved dog can destroy your house and stress everyone in the family; soon no one will want him around. By following the advice in this article, your training will be successful and your dog will be a very welcome and adored addition to your family.