An effective training program translates to a happy pet and an equally happy pet owner. A dog that is well-trained assures that your dog knows exactly what he can expect. Once trained, you will not have to worry about behavior problems when taken out into public or left home alone. It might not have been an easy road, but you will soon know that the time you spent on training your dog will have been worth it.
Specific feeding habits should be established with your dog. You can set a firm schedule by teaching the dog to anticipate that the food will be removed within 10 to 15 minutes of the start of mealtime. Your dog will quickly finish their meal before you remove their dish.
Give them chew toys for pain relief while teething, and keep everything else out of reach. Immediately replace it with one of his designated chew toys. Chew toys are essential for puppies who are experiencing pain from teething. A great alternative is a frozen wash cloth.
A dog will obsess about one thing until you divert its attention. If you are consistent and use repetition, your dog will start to wait for your signals before focusing on something.
When you are house training your puppy, remember, what goes in, must come out. In order to regulate your dog’s toileting habits, you should feed him a good quality food at the same times each day. You can then schedule your walks at the right times to prevent unwanted accidents.
Continue training your dog so he doesn’t forget how to learn. Often, owners get the feeling that they do not need to continue working with the dog once it is trained. Dogs are much like humans, in the sense that they share the same habitual learning system. It’s important to be consistent with the rules for your dog.
Training Sessions
Don’t extend training sessions. Dogs have a short attention span, and keeping the training sessions short and sweet prevents them from becoming a boring chore your dog dreads. If you want a long session, make sure that your dog has a break in between.
When you are training your doggy friend, use what is known as primary reinforcement. This method involves eliciting the desired behavior by giving the pet a treat or reward upon completion. It could be a treat, a toy or even a rub with some kisses. Then your dog can learn the way to get what he wants.
Don’t ever reward destructive or bad behavior. In doing so, you are essentially telling your dog that it is able to control you, not the other way around. In other words: no treats are to be given to barking dogs.
Bringing dogs on a trip means bringing all their supplies, too. Include water, food bowls, bathroom bags and paper towels, so you can have a relaxing ride. It is often just as easy to buy a bag of food once you reach your destination as it is to pack it up and bring it along.
You should teach your dog how to lay down. This is a command that is great as a foundation for other commands, and can also be used alone in emergencies. Dogs trained in the “down” command will get to the ground within a moment of the command in tense situations, making this command a great safety tool.
The important thing to understand about training your dog is that it is about setting a precedence of what is expected from the relationship. The two of you will get so much more from each other once you figure this out. Always reinforce everything you have taught your dog. Make sure he stays on top of what he has learned, and correct any bad behavior. Once your dog is able to understand the basics, you and your dog are limitless as to what tricks and behaviors can be achieved.