Raising a dog can bring you a lot of joy and love into your life. You may have your hands full when first getting a dog. You must be prepared to provide solid training. Use these tips on a consistent basis and you will see a trained dog in no time at all.
When getting closer to a dog, move slowly and let the dog smell your hand. That is the first step in getting the dog accustomed to your smell and building trust between you. When the dog knows your scent, he is better able to trust you and follow given commands.
Make training with your dog fun. Playing with your dog helps build a stronger bond between dog and human, which encourages the dog to respond positively during training. Despite the fun the two of you will have during training, it is important to set aside time that is designated to enjoyment only, with no work or training involved.
Always call your dog’s attention by doing the same thing. Always start your commands with his name. Get is attention by using its name and make it follow what you want it to do. Dogs are more likely to respond immediately whenever their name is called because they are aware that you want their attention.
Teach your dog no response is needed for the word ‘no’. Positive reinforcement is the best method for canine training. The word ‘no’ itself is not enough to make your dog understand they need to stop what they are doing. Each dog has their own quirks.
Consistency is key when training a dog. If you have a large family ensure everyone is involved with the puppy training. When your dog only needs to understand a single set of directions, it is easier to learn and adopt the desired behaviors.
Your tone of voice is very important when you discipline your dog. Dogs are very empathic to their trainer’s emotions. Back up your discipline with a stern, but not angry, tone of voice to communicate your displeasure.
House training a puppy can be frustrating, as accidents are going to occur on occasion. Clean accidents up immediately to assist in your training efforts. Urine and feces scents can attack to the fibers of your carpet, which will lead to your dog repeatedly using the bathroom in that spot. Many pet stores or big box stores sell products that help to eliminate the odors from pet accidents.
Split treats into bite-sized pieces to keep rewards from affecting your dog’s daily diet, weight or overall health. It’s easy to overlook the treats, but the do add up, especially when you’re doing a lot of training.
Make sure you’re aware of any other dogs in the area when walking your dog. Sometimes, other dogs can get aggressive, as you want to keep your dog out of harms way. If you see a dog acting aggressively or fearfully, avoid that dog.
Train a puppy to accept a leash by playing with the puppy while it wears its collar. Ensuring your puppy is comfortable wearing his or her collar is important for a couple of reasons. First, this helps you use the leash properly. Second, it ensures that your puppy can be identified in case the leash gets taken off.
As part of good training, you should learn if your dog’s breed requires special grooming. Dogs coats vary from very short to coats that have to be regularly groomed. Grooming is a good way to keep a clean, happy dog which can also provide health benefits.
One thing to remember when training your dog is that all your actions are molding its behavior and personality. If you send your dog the wrong message with teasing or roughhousing, he may have problems interpreting your actions and acting accordingly. Take care to only reward positive behavior.
It is never a good idea to provide a reward for bad behavior when attempting to end a particular negative behavior. This makes the dog feel like he holds the control. For example, if you give a treat to stop your dog from barking, you are teaching him to bark for treats.
Has your dog been tugging the leash? This issue is often faced by dog owners, but is quite easy to fix. Visit a local pet supply shop and get a cheap harness as a way to prevent pulling and to make your walks fun.
Your dog will not dig in the trash if you feed it and give it enough toys. Also, take trash out regularly and keep tempting things like bones out of it. Crate your dog or empty your trash can if you plan on going out.
Try using a shake-can during training. Insert some coins into an empty can, and then make sure it’s sealed. Shake the can if your dog misbehaves. Your dog will be startled by the sound and will cease the behavior. Eventually, your dog will get the idea that the behavior is not allowed. Just shake it one time though, shaking it too much will desensitize your dog.
Dogs are like people when it comes to the fact that they all learn in very different ways. For instance, a casual and reserved dog is more than likely going to respond to positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is more appropriate and necessary for aggressive breeds in order to know that you are the alpha being in the relationship. If you have been trying one method without success, then you might need to think about switching up your tactics.
Some dogs have specific bad behavior triggers, so distract him during these times. In other words, if your dog does not like other dogs, you should keep him busy and entertained as you pass other dogs on your walks. By doing this, he will start to see that good things can happen even when he sees that stimuli.
Take the tips you have just learned and get busy training your dog. Take time to show him what you expect of him and be patient as he learns. It takes time, but it’s worth the endeavor.
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