Every dog should have some sort of training to help correct poor behaviors and to adapt to their new living environment. This article has some helpful advice on how to train your dog.
Establish feeding habits for your dog. Your dog should be fed at the same time everyday and they should only have a certain amount of time to eat. Your dog will learn to eat in a few minutes instead of going back to the food bowl all day long.
Try not to reinforce bad behaviors from your dog. Withhold treats and attention when your dog exhibits any undesirable behaviors. If the dog jumps at you, don’t rub it’s head.
Before you begin training your dog, you need to establish yourself as the alpha. The dog will have little respect for you and it won’t obey if you do not show that you are the one in charge. Avoid allowing your dog to lead you during walks. Instead, walk in front of your dog to show that you are the leader of this pack.
Modify and update your dog’s training as necessary, so he remains in compliance with the rules. Many times, owners feel that since their animals have gone through canine training, they can just forget about it. Like their human owners, pets truly are creatures of habit. This is why you must make sure that you have a rule system that is strict for your dog.
Patience is imperative when you engage in a training session. Staying patient will help all parties to avoid frustration. Don’t forget that dogs aim to please, however they often don’t understand what you want.
It is important to avoid dwelling on one task for too long. Spending too much time just on one aspect of training will bore your dog and waste your efforts. Ten minutes is about the length of time a dog can handle.
A first step to training a puppy is get him used to hearing his name. Use his name on a regular basis, and teach him that the appropriate response to hearing is name is to come over to you. There is no other word your puppy should be taught first. Spend as much time as possible with your dog, so you can bond and he’ll learn you’re his master. This will make him easier to train later.
Firm, direct commands are the best approach to take when training your dog. However, don’t be too demanding or cruel as you want to be a loving master. This will strengthen the relationship between you and your dog.
Do not give up when you’re training your dog. If your dog doesn’t get reinforcement for his current level of training, he’s likely to slide back into how he acted before he was trained. Keep in mind that training your dog is an on-going process, and just as important as providing him with food and shelter.
If you travel with your dogs, pack your dog’s needs for sleep, toileting and sleeping. Pack plenty of food and water as well as clean-up materials, bedding and potty bags. Do not worry about taking a bag of their dog food with you; it is much easier to pick some up when you get to your destination.
Start your training by teaching the “down” command to your dog. This is one of the basics, and is good for emergencies. The down command can have a dog drop down at any given second, which is great for safety reasons.
Give your dog a treat to get him to respond as you desire. Fade the treats gradually until the pet is only receiving a small amount of the treat, then substitute a pat or verbal praise for the treat.
If you have a large-breed dog, he needs a big bed on which to stretch out. There are big, long dog beds around for larger dogs, or you could look for a mattress taken from a crib. The latter option has its advantages. You can just rotate the sheets often by using sheets that are fitted to the mattress. The crib mattresses are also waterproof which means they are highly durable.
If you are teaching ball-fetching, never chase your dog to get the ball away from him. He must always bring it to you because you are in charge. Suppose the animal simply picks up the ball and then drops it into the grass. If you take the initiative to walk to the ball and retrieve it, you will appear subservient. You need to make sure they give you the ball in your hand; they will see who is boss this way.
Make sure your dog has gotten its shots. If you are finding your dog is having difficulty with some aspects of training, or has regressed in his training, make sure he is in good health. Dogs have been known to hide discomfort and pain. If your dog is behaving erratically, seek medical attention. If your dog suddenly forgets his potty training or behaves in an aggressive manner, you may be dealing with a bladder infection.
Dogs without training will not only demolish your favorite possessions, but your sanity as well. Using the advice of this article, you should now be prepared to train your dog better skills.
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