Most dogs require training to become well behaved. Apply this advice as you work hard to groom a happy and healthy member of your family.
There are many different approaches that can be used to crate train a new puppy. If they are hesitant about the crate, you can put a nice chew bone inside and shut the gate while they are not in it. As soon as they smell the tempting treat, they will want to get into the crate to enjoy it. When they go inside to get the bone, give them lots of positive reinforcement.
Avoid restraining two dogs too closely together. The restraints for each dog can become tangled and in an effort to free themselves, they can be injured. For example, a large dog could tangle the chain with a smaller dog, wrapping the chain around the neck of the small dog, causing it to die.
Be careful not to reward bad behaviors without realizing it. Don’t give praise or treats to your dog if it does something wrong. If your dog leaps on you when you return home and you wish to discourage this behavior, you must ignore him and go about your business. Even negative attention from you can cause the behavior to continue.
Be consistent with your canine training to make sure your animal stays obedient to the rules it has been learning. Many owners believe that once training is over, the dog will be set for life. However, pets and humans share similar habit systems. Therefore it is very important to maintain a good set of rules for your dog.
Pick a recognizable phrase to verbalize to your puppy during house training. When you take your puppy outside, say “go potty” to them so they will eventually associate the phrase with going to the bathroom outside.
Have a treat prepared for rewarding your dog when they follow a command properly. You want to teach your pooch that good behavior is beneficial. This is the proper way to make sure that your dog learns the difference between right and wrong.
A consistent schedule of feeding and potty-time is very important when house training your dog. This gives both you and the dog a heads up as to when they need to go outside, and you can make sure that happens before they make a mess indoors. Sticking to a schedule will teach your dog how to control himself until his next scheduled potty break.
Your dog will be easier to train if you are careful to avoid letting him learn bad habits to begin with. It is easier to instill good habits than it is to deal with bad ones. For example, if you are adamant about your dog not being a beggar, then never make any exceptions to handing him food from your table.
A good tip is to make sure you are aware if other dogs are present when you are walking your dog. Some dogs are more aggressive by nature and it is wrong to assume that it is the result of the owner. If you come across a dog that seems aggressive avoid it.
Be aware of special grooming requirements your dog might need. Certain breeds may require lots of weekly grooming; however, others may need very little or no grooming. A happy dog is a clean dog, so to train him, he must be groomed.
Try teaching your dog the command of “down”. This command can be used in an emergency, or used as the basis for teaching other behaviors. “Down” is the perfect command to keep dogs out of danger.
For each time you use your pets name in a negative way, such as a reprimand, make an effort to use it positively 2 or 3 times. You have to make the dog know that it shouldn’t be afraid to hear it’s name.
Training is not a good time for punishing your dog. Instead, focus on preventing unwanted behavior. If your dog misbehaves, you should try to demonstrate the preferred action. Training involves positive reciprocation between you and your dog; there is really no place for punishment.
If dog agility classes are the ultimate goal of your training, then you should choose a breed that is suited for it. Competitive agility dog breeds include Shetland sheepdogs, Labrador retrievers, border collies and Australian shepherds.
Senior dogs do have some limits. Older dogs won’t be trained perfectly. They’ll always have some quirks that need to be embraced. Understand that if your dog is older, he or she is going to have things already set into their minds that is going to be virtually impossible to remove. While it may be possible to teach them new habits, sometimes it’s best to concentrate on the negative things that you can alter, and learn to live with the other things.
If you can read your dog’s unique behaviors and traits, you can readily avoid indoor accidents. Most dogs exhibit some sort of pattern before they have to go. If you can learn this specific pattern, then you can immediately allow your dog to go out. Doing this will cause your dog to act more appropriately. Understanding the dog’s natural disposition helps make house training simpler for everyone involved.
If you want your dog to get in a sitting position, have them stand while you hold a treat above their head. Place your hand and the treat behind your puppy. Your dog will look up as your hand passes behind his head. In most cases, the dog will naturally move into a sitting position.
Be sure to discourage unwanted behaviors at the moment they occur. Make sure to use a firm voice when telling your dog “No”. Never yell and never hit your dog with a hand or other object. Discourage incorrect behavior in the moment it happens. Dogs have short attention spans. If you don’t correct the behavior immediately after it happens, your dog will not understand what you are doing.
Even if the dog can be unruly now, don’t fret. With time and patience, all dogs can learn proper behavior. Implement the tips and tricks in this article to effectively train your dog.