A lot of people want to train their dogs but they think it’s too difficult. Doubts about the process can discourage people from even trying. Unless you are willing to consider different training approaches, it will be difficult to find the best solution for your situation. Keep reading to learn some basic principles of training your dog.
Try to walk in your dogs shoes before you criticize them. You need to exercise patience with your pet, even if you think he should be learning at a faster rate. It might make things easier if you ask yourself what is going on in your dog’s mind. This can help you come up with new ideas on how to accomplish your training objectives.
Do not tie a couple of dogs closely together. The chain of one dog could become wrapped around the other and, as the dogs struggle to free themselves, one or both could be injured. If a large dog becomes tangled with a smaller one they could wrap up to the point the airway of the latter is closed off and the dog would die.
Start your dog’s training by doing something it could easily learn. Aside from being rewarded instantly for your success, this will also give your dog the important basis of what is an acceptable behavior or trick. Doing this will give you better results in your training.
If your dog is a jumper, squeeze his paws when he jumps on you to let him know he cannot do this any longer. This does not hurt the dog if you do it lightly, but it is an uncomfortable feeling for them. They should learn to stop jumping because they don’t like the reaction they get.
When you’re training your dog, it is important that you understand primary reinforcement. The dog has a reward they love given when they are good. This may mean giving food items as treats or scratching the dog’s tummy. This teaches your dog something that they desire.
Avoid accidents if you want to housebreak your dog. You need to know what they act like if they have to use the bathroom. If your dog is pacing or whining, you need to take them outside. Do not wait more than a couple of minutes. Get his leash so you can take him to the designated potty area. Praise them for going to the bathroom properly. Soon, your dog will signal you when he needs to go outside.
To reduce the barking of your dog, try getting them used to what causes the barking in the first place. For example, many dogs bark because of a sound, other animals or people. This will help your dog understand that barking is unnecessary.
Overworking a new puppy with new information will only lead to trouble. Puppies have a very limited attention span. When doing training, make them in small short sessions and always make them positive. If you try to do too much, the puppy will probably not remember much except that it was an unpleasant experience, and that will make it more difficult when the time comes for the next training session.
It’s to be expected that your new puppy will likely have an accident now and then. Get rid of accidents immediately to improve training efficiency. Odor from feces or urine can stay in your carpet which will make your dog return to it when it wants to urinate. Look into different cleaners, especially enzyme cleaners, available at any pet store.
Split treats into bite-sized pieces to keep rewards from affecting your dog’s daily diet, weight or overall health. A lot of people forget to account for treats given during training when considering a dog’s diet plan.
You can use a spray bottle filled with water as a mild aversive to prevent inappropriate chewing. This helps the dog learn which behaviors are not acceptable. Eventually, these behaviors will end and your dog will be well-behaved and play in the right manner.
Everything you teach your dog shapes and molds their personality and behavior. This is especially important when it comes to playtime. Take care to only reward positive behavior.
Often, bad chewing habits are caused by anxiety. Keeping your pup in a crate or other doggy-proofed space and providing appropriate chew toys will keep him occupied until you arrive home.
When you reprimand your dog by using his name, follow it up with using his name in a positive manner at least three times. He must not think that his name is a negative word. If he does, then he won’t come when called.
Don’t teach your dog bad habits by reinforcing them. Your dog picks up on your reactions to things so if you laugh at bad behavior they will take that as it is okay to continue what they are doing. That is counterproductive. Correcting the behavior and showing that you are displeased will help to make training much easier.
Hopefully with this knowledge, you will be more confident in training your dog. There are always new things to learn about canine training, so keep your eyes open for new ideas and approaches that can help you out.