Congrats! What happens now? Proper training can make the experience much more enjoyable for yourself and your pet. These tips will make it easy to train your dog in just the right way.
Consistency is of the utmost importance when it comes to crate training. Give the puppy consistent opportunities to relieve himself every time you let him out. As you continue this training, your pet will begin to wait until he gets to the appropriate location to relieve himself.
When training your dog, make sure to have fun with him too. If you do so, your dog will feel closer to you, and even respond to training better. Training can be enjoyable, but you should still make time just to play with your pet.
Primary Reinforcement
Primary reinforcement is good to use when training your dog. Primary reinforcement makes use of something that is already inherent for a dog to love getting as a reward when they behave. Primary reinforcement could be treats or giving your dog a belly rub. Then your dog can learn the way to get what he wants.
“No” shouldn’t be a huge part of training. You must find positive methods to reinforce your commands when training a dog. Saying the word “no” will not aid in the training of your dog. Every dog and situation is unique and you should adapt your strategies accordingly.
Use different tones when training your dog. For example, use a different tone when praising your dog than you do when commanding your dog to obey. Stand firm and be sharp when using commands. Use louder tones for corrections, and use your natural tone when giving praise.
All dog trainers would be wise to introduce their dogs to social settings often. Your dog must learn how to behave when other people or dogs are present, and there is no other way to teach this skill. This will help in reducing sporadic behavior when it comes to new environments, also.
Rewarding bad behavior ruins the lesson you’re trying to teach them. This method will only result in the dog learning to do what it pleases. For instance, giving a dog a treat each time it barks.
Keep your training sessions short so your dog retains what they have learned. For a given task, fifteen minutes should be sufficient, since working for longer periods can cause frustration and backsliding. After training, praise the dog for a job well done.
Dogs tend to chew as a reaction to feeling anxious. Crate training your dog and giving him items to play with while you’re gone should help keep both your home and dog safe.
Challenge your dog on a regular basis. Throw “pop quizzes” occasionally to be sure he is not getting out of practice.
Be careful if you are going to introduce your dog to other animals. Keep your current pet in mind, if you are considering adopting a new pet. The animals should have compatible personalities and be able to bond with each other easily.
Set your dog up for success when training him to stop chewing inappropriate items. Even more so, an inappropriately-chewing dog needs to be protected. Things like nylons and hairbrushes could lead to choking or obstruction hazards to dogs.
“Shake-can” training can be very effective. Place a few pennies into a soda can (empty please), and seal it up. If your dog is not behaving, shake the can, but shake it only once. Doing this will give the dog a start and it will stop what it is doing. After a while, your dog will also learn that the sound signifies an undesirable behavior. Never shake the can more than once, as multiple shakes will just desensitize your dog.
Training a dog is beneficial for everyone. It makes the dog happy, the owner happy and the neighbors happy. You now have the information you need to get started with training your dog to become the well behaved pet you have been wanting.