A well-trained dog makes both you and your pet happy. When you are consistent with your dog, he knows what to expect. After training your dog, you will feel more comfortable when you have visitors, take him out for walks, or leave him alone at home. Even though it may be a bit stressful at the time, once it is trained and has learned it manners and a few tricks, you will see that it was well worth the time investment.
Have a good reward system when training your dog. Giving your dog treats at the right time and in the right amount is important. Unless you administer praise and treats as soon as the dog exhibits the desired behavior, he will not be able to connect the behavior to the treat.
Consistency is key in crate training a puppy. When letting your dog out of the crate, be sure to immediately allow your dog to relieve himself. As you continue this training, your pet will begin to wait until he gets to the appropriate location to relieve himself.
When your pet hears you speak the word ‘no’, your dog must understand that a response is not expected. It is important to be positive when you are training your dog. If you just say “no”, your dog might not understand what is acceptable. Every dog and situation is unique and you should adapt your strategies accordingly.
When training your dog, reinforce positive behaviors in a positive way. If you are happy with your dog, give him pets, happy words and the occasional treat. Don’t yell and/or hit your dog. These forms of punishment are ineffective. To get the best results from your canine training, you need to be firm and consistent, staying positive at all times.
It’s a good idea to keep in mind the number of treats you are giving your dog throughout the day. Giving him too many will add unneeded calories to his diet and cause him to become overweight. Many people don’t take these into account with their diet, but they can add up during active training.
Through dog training sessions, both you and your dog will learn about building rules for your relationship. In the same way that these rules are helpful to human relationships, you and your dog will be able to enjoy the time you spend together more after there’s an understanding about how to follow the rules. You must continue to reinforce what you are teaching your dog. If he deviates from any acceptable behavior, you need to correct this right away, and work every day to make sure that he is remembering what you have taught him. Once your dog understands all the basics, the sky is the limit as far as what it can achieve with your help.