Dog training can sometimes be difficult. Dogs are naturally playful and will often want to play when dog owners attempt to train them. It also takes them a while to register commands from their owner. The tips in this article will help you to successfully train your dog.
If you have gotten a new dog or puppy, you should work on training them right away. If they are going to be indoor dogs, you can start crate training them . This prevents bathroom accidents or your items being chewed on. Start off with the right sized crate, so that they have enough room in the crate to move around a bit.
Just as reinforcement of good behavior when training a dog should be immediate, so too should punishment for bad behavior be immediate. Saying “no” in a harsh voice tells the dog he has acted inappropriately but he only connects the message with the targeted behavior if that message is delivered immediately after that act.
It is important to take a leadership role while training your dog. This does not mean that you need to try and force your animal to bend to your will. Acting as a teacher and showing him what you want him to do by rewarding his actions will help your dog succeed.
Focus on making the training sessions with your dog fun. All animals behave better when they enjoy being good. Use whatever your dog likes, including toys, attention and privileges, to help make training a game rather than a chore. You will probably be surprised at the type of results you get from your animal.
Take everything that your friends and family members say about your training program with a grain of salt. Everyone will have their own opinions about how you should help your pet learn to follow directions. Ignore most of it and do what you know is best for you and your pet.
You should make sure to eat your own meal first before feeding your dog. This shows your dog that you are leader of the pack and helps establish your dominance. Your dog will be much more likely to follow your other commands if he or she knows that you are the boss because you eat first.
If you are training a high-energy dog, it may be beneficial to exercise your dog just before the training session. A dog that is overly energetic will have difficulty focusing on what you are trying to teach. The exercise session can be beneficial for the human owner’s health as well!
Learn to read your dog’s signals when training, so that you can see the difference between confusion and disobedience. A different response is required from you when your dog doesn’t understand a command versus when they understand the command but choose not to obey. Understanding your dog’s signals, can help you to choose the more appropriate response.
Don’t get discouraged when training your dog. You may start to feel as though you will be carrying around messy treats in your pocket for the rest of your life. This is not the case. As your dog learns a new behavior, he will look to rewards less often for that behavior.
Create an environment that is learning-friendly for training sessions. Remove distractions such as children, TV or anything else that may pull focus from you. Young children love to help but they can be your biggest hindrance in the process. When distractions are removed you will not have to constantly redirect your pet, and this allows for easier learning.
When training a new puppy to come, a long rope is a great aid. Call the puppy while gently pulling it toward you and praising it for coming. When it reaches you, praise it even more and offer a favorite treat. Soon the puppy will associate its name and coming to you with praise and treats, then you won’t need the rope anymore.
Spend plenty of time with your dog to make obedience training easier. When your dog associates your voice and presence with his or her normal environment, training becomes easier because your pet is more inclined to pay attention to you. Spending time playing or in other unstructured activities makes time spent in training exercises more effective.
If your dogs are big and tough and young and go through beds as if they grow on trees, look for low cost alternatives. Use your imagination to come up with sofa cushions, comforters from the thrift store or garage sales, cast off pillows and other things that you don’t mind having destroyed. Your dog will probably outgrow his bed destroying phase, and it’s not worth it to get upset about it and spend a fortune on dog beds!
As stated before, dog training can be difficult sometimes. Dogs love to play, and will do so when training. Dogs must learn proper commands before they obey them. Using the dog training tips from the article above, you can train your dog to follow your commands and become obedient.
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