It has been widely accepted that a well trained dog leads to a better relationship between owner and pet. Dogs that know how to behave in a myriad of situations are great companions. Use these great tips to work with your pet and build a healthier, happier environment for both of you!
There are several techniques to make crate training your dog easier. If the dog doesn’t want to get in the crate try putting a chew toy in it and close the gate when they’re not there. They will see the toy inside the crate and will want in the crate to get it. If they do go into the crate, offer up praise and a treat.
Dog Becomes
Give your puppy time to be okay with a crate by taking the training one small step at a time. Once they have grown accustomed to being in the crate with the gate open, try closing the gate and feeding them small treats through the crate. At first, only close the gate for a short time, then gradually extend the time as your dog becomes more comfortable. If your dog becomes restless, you may be ramping up too quickly.
The first rule to remember when you begin to house train your puppy is that what you feed them will eventually come out the other end. To help regulate your dog’s bowel movements, feed him 2-3 times per day. By using a feeding schedule, you will now lessen the chances of an accident.
When training your dog, try to avoid reinforcing negative behavior. Don’t give praise or treats to your dog if it does something wrong. For instance, it will be difficult or impossible to train your dog not to jump on people if you give your pet a friendly neck-scratch when he or she jumps on you.
You need to make certain your dog is having fun each day during training sessions. By playing games with your dog, a strong bond will develop between the two of you, which helps the dog respond in a positive manner during training. In addition to your daily training sessions, take time out for simple play. Make this uncomplicated and fun for your dog.
Primary Reinforcement
Primary reinforcement is critical to canine training. Primary reinforcement uses the things that your dog loves as rewards for positive behavior. Some examples of primary reinforcements are food and rubbing the dog’s belly. Using this technique will train your dog what you expect from him.
Train your dog in a positive manner. Praise the dog with petting, upbeat words and the occasional treat when he does something right. You should never yell at your dog, or physically harm them. Not only does it not work, it encourages the belief by the dog that you have no idea what is going on. Instead, make sure you are firm, patient, consistent and positive so that you can achieve the best possible results.
Prior to training your puppy, make a bond with your dog by teaching him what his name is. Use his name frequently, and train him to come to you when called. You should teach your puppy these words first. Try to spend a good amount of time with your new dog. If the puppy trusts you, he will be easier to train later.
Stay as consistent as possible during your training regimen. 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 will have an easier time learning if he has only one set of commands to learn and if he knows what response each behavior will receive.
If you pour too much information and training into your puppy, it will actually be counterproductive. A puppy only has short bursts of energy and doesn’t have a long attention; you’ve got to keep your training sessions positive and short. You want to end the session on a positive note; if you push too hard, he will end up dreading your training sessions.
Making your dog learn habits that are good from the start is very important. Dogs find it much harder to break existing bad habits than to learn new, positive ones. Never feed your dog from the table, if you don’t want him to get the habit of begging for scraps.
Dog owners are often amazed at how easy it is to train even the most problematic pet. A solid training program and a dedicated owner can achieve results quickly and with as little stress as possible. Simple changes in our own behavior, as well as simple techniques that we implement, can result in big improvements in our dog’s behavior.