The dog that you have just adopted may seem less like Lassie, and more like Cujo. With some basic training, you can teach your dog to act better quicker.
When you verbally correct your dog, do it quickly and concisely. Avoid going on a rant about the dog’s “badness”. Just tell them no, and point them in the desired direction. Your tone should be stern to let them know you are serious.
House training should be built around a regular bathroom schedule. Feed your pooch several times daily at the same hour. By scheduling your feedings, you will be able to determine when you should take your dog out. This can greatly reduce the number of accidents.
Think of a word you can use as a command during training. It’s faster to tell your dog “yes” than it is to find and give it a treat.
Shock Collars
Do not use shock collars. They often don’t function as well as advertised and are far more expensive than conventional training methods. Also, shock collars may actually hinder your dog’s development and thwart positive behaviors. The negative training causes negative outcomes.
Your training sessons should be kept short. Your dog’s memory and attention span is short, keep the training this way. If you want to engage in additional training, allow the dog to have a break in order to get some exercise.
Silence your dog’s excessive barking by teaching them a silencing command. As the dog begins barking, display a treat and then repeat your order until the barking ceases. At this time, give the treat to your dog. Repeating this enough times can help them associate the treat with the quiet command.
To enforce good behavior when training your dog, remember to praise him regularly. Smile often and keep treats handy to ensure that the positive reinforcement is quick and consistent. Don’t reward any bad behavior or it will be reinforced.
Rewarding bad behavior ruins the lesson you’re trying to teach them. This makes the dog feel like he holds the control. For instance, giving a dog a treat each time it barks.
Dogs need to play so always give your dog time to be a dog and to engage in normal canine behaviors. Dogs need to eat well and have a good place to exercise and keep busy.
Be consistent when you are training your pup! Make sure everyone knows the right commands to give the dog; keep a list if necessary. Be certain that everyone understands what constitutes good behavior and what constitutes bad behavior. Make sure that responses to these behaviors are uniform. If everyone is on the same page, the dog will better understand what is expected of him.
Before you correct your dog for barking, find out why he/she is barking in the first place. Knowing the triggers will help you control the behavior. For instance, if the only time your dog barks too much is when visitors arrive, ask a friend to visit you to assist you in dealing with the behavior when the trigger event occurs.
When you train ball-fetching to your dog, prove yourself the leader in the relationship by forcing your dog to return to you with the ball always. If you go toward your dog as he brings the ball or go pick up the ball, your dog will not assume your are the master. By making it clear that you expect your dog to return the ball, you are showing that you are the natural leader and that you have clear expectations for him.
Older Dogs
While it is possible to teach older dogs new tricks, it is essential that you are mindful of any medical conditions or issues that it may have. If your pet has problems with their bones or muscles, you should not expect them to be very active. Even older dogs can benefit from some good old training. However, you must make sure that you’re not causing it unwarranted pain during exercise sessions.
Be sure you don’t carry over emotions from outside into your training your dog. The dog will pick up on an upset tone of voice, and become upset or afraid. Keep in mind that unless your dog has misbehaved immediately before your interaction, your behavior toward the dog should be positive in nature.
Just like people, dogs do better with different styles of training. If your dog is relaxed and easygoing, positive reinforcement will likely produce the desired results. An aggressive and dominant animal will require more forcible training and commands. If your chosen training method is not working, then it may be time to consider another approach.
When dogs bark excessively, shouting does not help. Yelling as a means to stop barking may in fact cause the dog to bark more, as they have no way to understand what you are trying to convey. They will see that they might be barking for no reason.
Take your pet to the vet if you notice any abnormal behavioral issues to see if they are stemming from a health problem. Some health conditions or pain can cause animals to lash out or act out of their element. Since they cannot tell us what is wrong, this is their way of letting us know that they need extra attention.
Remain realistic about changing behaviors that have happened for years. If your dog has been allowed to do a bad behavior for a long period of time, it will take some time to change the behavior. The younger a dog is, the easier it is to change his behavior.
People are often amazed about how easy it can be to train your dog and how quick they see changes. If you are having behavior problems with your dog, read on for some solutions.