When thinking about dog training, think of your dog as a remote that has to be programmed in order for it to work properly. Your dog has the potential to be everything you want it to be, you just have to follow the right steps. Dogs are inborn to learn training, but need the help of their owner.
As you work to crate train your dog, it is important to convey the notion that the crate is their home. When you feed him, feed him inside the crate, and keep the door open while he is in there eating. This will help them associate good food to the crate.
Set a schedule and routine for feeding your dog from the very beginning of your relationship. Your dog will begin to recognize there is a routine if you regularly remove the food bowl 10 or 15 minutes after you put it down. Your dog will quickly finish their meal before you remove their dish.
Be careful of disrupting your training time with rewards. When the dog correctly follows your commands, you can certainly give a reward. While you might be pleased, acting too excited may cause the dog to get agitated, lessening your control. If you are able to maintain your calm, you can expect your dog to maintain calm too.
Make sure food and outside time are scheduled to help break your dog into being an inside dog. This will give you an idea of when the dog is likely to have to go, so you can take it outdoors to take care of this matter before an accident occurs on your rug. A schedule will train your dog to know when he will get to go out next.
You have to have patience when you are training your dog. Patience prevents both of you from becoming frustrated and angry during the training process. Understand that your dog actually wants to please you, however he/she can be confused with what it is you want them to do.
Make sure your dog understand he does not need to respond to the word “no”. Training must be a positive experience for your dog. If you just say “no”, your dog might not understand what is acceptable. All dogs differ and their training ought to be customized.
Training your dog requires you to be firm and authoritative. Yelling at the dog is counterproductive, and it is necessary to balance strictness in response to misbehavior and love in response to obedience. This will help develop a strong bond during your training session.
You need to be very consistent when training your dog. When everyone is participating in the training progress, you should be sure that each member of the family is applying the same rules and commands. Your dog will learn better if the commands are ones he is familiar with.
When taking your dog on a trip, be sure to have collar and leash, food and water, your dog’s bed and plenty of plastic bags to clean up after your dog. Things such as food and water bowls, paper toweling and waste bags are critical for a smooth trip. Take only a small amount of food and purchase more when you arrive at your destination.
Consistency is key when housebreaking your dog. Try taking your dog outside each hour when you’re at home. Make sure that you give praise if your dog goes to the bathroom outdoors. If you dog has an accident inside your house, do not scold him. Your dog doesn’t come out of the womb potty-trained, and it takes time to learn. Yelling or punishing is not helpful. Make a habit of walking him around fifteen minutes after eating or drinking anything, and after coming out of his dog crate.
Are you providing your dog with high quality, nutritional food? A bad diet can really change the behavior of even the best dogs. Change your dog’s food if you need to. Check with your vet about any specific nutritional needs he might need attending to!
Training should be an enjoyable activity for your dog. Be aware of your dog’s personality and conform training to fit his cycles; try limiting learning sessions to a few minutes at a time. Vary your rewards. Give your dog plenty of praise and affection for his hard work and efforts. When the dog enjoys their training, they will listen better.
Do you have a dog that pulls at the leash? It is easy to appease this issue if it is becoming a problem. Purchase a harness, which can reduce the pull on your dog.
Maintain consistency when training your dog. Write down the specific commands you want to use with your dog, and get everyone in your household to review the list and use the same words. In addition, make sure that the behaviors of the dog are treated consistently. Good behaviors get rewarded; bad behaviors do not. By having different responses from different people will most likely confuse the dog, which may make the training more problematic.
Now that you are armed with some great advice, you are all set to begin the task of training your dog. A well-trained pooch is a wonderful addition to any family, and your soon-to-be-trained dog is soon to be a joy to have around the house.