So you just brought home that absolutely adorable new puppy, but now he’s chewing on all your furniture and barking at the neighbors until your head is pounding? All dogs need training, both to teach them useful behaviors and to discourage them from unwanted ones. This article has some helpful advice on how to train your dog.
If your dog has specific triggers for bad behavior, keep him busy as you pass temptation. In other words, if your dog does not like other dogs, you should keep him busy and entertained as you pass other dogs on your walks. This should help him establish a relationship between seeing that stimuli and good things happening.
A great tip for properly training your dog is to give your dog enough attention. Dogs thrive on social interaction with their owners. So if they do not get enough attention on a regular basis, then they will likely start performing some type of bad behavior.
It is fun teaching your dog how to do tricks. Pick a time when he is fed, relaxed and calm. First, extend your hand to your dog’s paw. You may have to pick his paw up when you first start. Regardless of how he acts, give him a treat. Pretty soon he will learn that if he extends his paw he will get a treat. In no time, he will simply give you his paw on his own.
Spaying or neutering your dog can stop a lot of behavioral problems before they even start. Territorial marking, inappropriate soiling and even aggression can be a result of sexual maturation. By neutering or spaying your animals, you can stop your animal from roaming if they ever get out of your house by accident. Spaying and neutering is relatively painless with modern veterinary technology, and your dog will benefit from it for life.
Feed your dog at a consistent time every day. Their digestive system will adjust to the schedule and they will be much more cooperative when you take them outside to relieve themselves. You’ll learn just how long to wait between feeding and taking them out, and both of you will be happy.
Dogs can have an annoying habit of jumping up on you or company out of sheer excitement. An effective way to help your dog to learn that this is not a proper greeting is to gently place your hand on his chest, shove him away and firmly say “Off!” Then you can offer him a greeting by calling him back at your invitation for a friendly pat on the head!
One of the very first commands a dog should learn is to come when he is called by his name. To start getting him used to his name, use it positively as soon as he joins the family. Every time he comes praise him so he will find following commands a positive experience.
Consider hiring someone to help you train your dog. Just like playing a sport, pet training is a skill that takes time to develop. Everyone has their own style, and it may be that the way you are interacting with your pet is not quite working. Another person can help you see how to tweak your training sessions to make them a better fit for you and your pet.
Correct bad behavior immediately. The common mistake many people make in the care for their dog is allowing bad behavior to go unchecked until it becomes a problem. Proper training of a dog involves recognizing bad behavior right away and correcting it. It is harder to correct a problem once it has grown out of proportion.
To teach your dog to sit, gently push down on his behind as you give the verbal command “Sit!” and make a hand gesture with your palm facing down. Each time your dog sits successfully, even if you have to help him out, give him a treat and praise him. It is important that your dog know how to sit so that you can build on this command and eventually teach him to “Stay!”
To train your dog, do not establish yourself as dominating. You should make it clear that you are the teacher, but never make your dog feel like he has to be submissive towards you. Building your dog’s confidence with praise and positive reinforcement will build his confidence and make training much easier.
Dogs need a well fitting collar and lead if they are to be properly trained. Don’t choose these items because they are cute or because they have rhinestones on them. Choose your dog’s collar and lead based on the service you desire from them. Ask yourself if a halter might be more appropriate for your particular dog. Do they need a long lead or would a shorter one be better? Make the right choices, and your dog will benefit.
Pick the proper size crate for your dog if you want to be able to effectively use the crate to train them. Remember, puppies grow up. Pick a crate that will be of suitable size for the adult when the puppy matures. The dog should have plenty of room to turn around and lie down without being crowded.
Keep some of your dog’s favorite treats with you when you are training him to obey a new command. Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement. When you have his treat on hand, you can reward him as soon as he successfully obeys this new command. Before long, he will be able to respond to this command efficiently.
Your home is your domain. Your dog must see the environment they live in as your territory. Stepping around a lying dog or not moving the animal from a place you intend to use gives him the right of way. This should not be allowed. Dominance in the pack means exercising your power in a non-confrontational way but with firm resolve that this is your territory.
Training your dog, whether it’s a new puppy or an older dog, is absolutely vital to ensuring a happy and healthy household. Untrained dogs, as mentioned above, will destroy your home and your sanity. With the advice from this article, however, you should be better prepared to go out there and teach your dog the right skills.