Dog ownership can be very rewarding, and an important part of having a dog is training him. Some dogs are more easily trained than others and it is important to research different breeds before you settle on getting a puppy. When you find a dog you want, check to see if he is a breed that has the characteristics you are looking for. Be sure that you finish reading this article so that you can be prepared for any dog training you are going to attempt.
Training doesn’t only happen during designated training sessions. Every time you interact with your pup, you are training him. Make sure to stay consistent in your commands and requests and to continue to reinforce those good behaviors. If you are training him to stay off the couch, don’t let him jump up there while you are watching a show. Stay consistent at all times with what you want him to do and you will see the rewards.
When training a dog it is important to reward good behavior while punishing bad behavior. Careful effort to maintain a clear distinction between good and bad behavior will go a long way towards overall training of the dog. This will guarantee that the dog knows why it is being rewarded or why it is being punished.
Encourage your dog’s cooperation in training by rewarding good behavior. Dogs respond to a calm, confident leader who earns respect. When your dog responds to commands make sure you reward him with play or food, and make sure you reward easy commands as well as harder ones to build his confidence.
For dogs that hate nail-trims, get them used to having their paws trimmed one step at a time. First, hang out with your dog when she’s calm and laying down. Touch her paws gently during petting, and treat and praise when she doesn’t react. Continue this process over weeks and step it up to gently picking up her paws. You’ll eventually introduce the nail trimmers without a trim, and then finally, trimming. It’s a long road, but it will save you money on nail trims in the future.
Training a dog will be not only a challenge, but also a test in patience. You are going to want to start small and make sure that you reward the dog for his good behavior, so be sure you have plenty of snacks on hand! Whenever your dog does a good job or minds the rules you’ve set for him, reward him by giving him a small snack, so that he can associate the food with his good behavior.
To teach your dog anything, you need to be consistent. This means you should give the same order every time, and reward or punish your dog in a similar way, all the time. This will help your dog assimilate certain concepts much faster than if you were using a more complex and diverse way of communicating.
One big mistake dog owners make is failing to practice your dog’s skills. The phrase, “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it” rings true for dogs, too. Your dog should be challenged regularly. Give him “quizzes” to make sure he still knows his stuff, even if you both know he does.
Associate hand gestures with individual commands to help your dog remember what to do. While the command words themselves can be enough of a clue to tell the dog what to do – using a visual cue – provides a way for the dog to remember more easily how to perform.
When you do give your dog correction verbally, make those corrections short, sharp and to the point. Do not drag on in a rant to your dog about how bad they are. Simply say no, and direct them to what you want them to do instead. Also make sure that the volume of your voice commands their attention and lets them know that you mean business.
When training a dog that is not housebroken it is important to limit the dogs time to roam around the house. By keeping the dog always by the owner it reduces the time it has to go to the bathroom in the house. The dog will not want to go by the owner and must hold it until let outside.
Your dog’s patience is directly proportionate to the patience you express during training. If you feel that you cannot maintain a fully patient state, do not begin a training session. Dogs need patience from you or they will quickly lose their own and all focus on training will be gone.
When you are potty training a young puppy, continue training even at night. A midnight potty run might not be convenient, but it can save your favorite rug. Puppies have very small bladders and need to eliminate often. Since they are not capable of holding it, those midnight potty runs are essential.
Your dog has a brain that needs to be exercised too. For dogs that don’t chew excessively, canine puzzle toys can appeal to your dog’s senses and stimulate his problem-solving skills. Puzzle toys come in a vast array of types so choose one that appeals to your dog’s specific strengths.
Praise your dog lavishly every time he or she comes closer to following commands. For instance, when first teaching the dog to come, praise for turning in the right direction. Then praise for a few steps toward you. Eventually, praise the dog enthusiastically for running straight to you at the first call. The dog associates obedience with the joy of pleasing you and shares in your excitement.
Active breeds need more space and more exercise. If you do not have a fenced in yard, you should be prepared to walk your dog every day. Dogs tend to develop behavior problems if they are not able to work off their energy every day either by running and playing or going for a long walk. Use the tips in this article, so that you can get a feel for what dog training is all about.