Learn How To Train Your Dog
Training your dog should be an enjoyable, rewarding process - for you and your pet! Dog training is not something that comes naturally to every pet owner, though. Never fear! A little advice can go a long way towards making the training process fun and hassle-free. Read on to discover some handy tricks to take the guesswork out of dog training.
If you are trying to train a dog that seems unresponsive and even aggressive, check to see that the dog's basic needs have been met. A dog that doesn't get enough attention, for example, will be grumpy and not respond well to training. And of course a hungry dog will be unlikely to respond as well.
Start training your dog as early in its life as possible, but not younger than about seven weeks. This helps build an early bond between you as the owner and trainer and the dog. However, starting too early will simply overstress the dog; a very young puppy won't learn anything from training sessions.
When you are approaching an unfamiliar dog, be sure to approach slowly and offer the dog the back of your hand to sniff. The dog will become familiar with your smell and recognize the scent in the future. When the dog becomes familiar with your smell, he will not fear you and will respond to your commands easier.
When you are training a dog, it is crucial that you never use physical punishment when the dog behaves badly or wrongly. Striking your dog won't teach them to listen to you; it will only teach them to be afraid of you. It may even train them to become aggressive towards people.
If your dog tends to chew on your shoes or other household items, you can stop this behavior by giving the dog a yummy substitute, such as a raw hide bone, to chew. The dog will likely abandon your shoes in favor of the raw hide, as the only reason he or she is chewing your shoes is that he or she is bored and needs something to do.
Set your dog up to succeed for the end of a session. End all of your training sessions with a command that you know that he can do and reward him for his effort. You don't want him to come away depressed about training time, but you also don't want to reward him if he was not responding well during the session. Giving him a task or command that you know he can do allows you to reward him without confusing him.
The tone of your voice is very important when you are trying to train your dog. Dogs can easily sense how their owners or trainers feel. Try using a stern tone to really convey your message to your dog.
Ignoring your dogs barking can be an effective way to get him to stop. When your dog barks, he is looking for attention of some sort. If you give it to him, this will encourage him to continue. Instead try looking away and pretending he isn't there. When he quiets down, reward him with a pat on the head.
When training a dog it is important to reward good behavior while punishing bad behavior. Careful effort to maintain a clear distinction between good and bad behavior will go a long way towards overall training of the dog. This will guarantee that the dog knows why it is being rewarded or why it is being punished.
Keep some of your dog's favorite treats with you when you are training him to obey a new command. Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement. When you have his treat on hand, you can reward him as soon as he successfully obeys this new command. Before long, he will be able to respond to this command efficiently.
Training a dog will be not only a challenge, but also a test in patience. You are going to want to start small and make sure that you reward the dog for his good behavior, so be sure you have plenty of snacks on hand! Whenever your dog does a good job or minds the rules you've set for him, reward him by giving him a small snack, so that he can associate the food with his good behavior.
One of the most important things in training is teaching your dog to come back to you. You dog should know to go back to you every time that you call him. Training your dog in small increments will help him to obey no matter what else is going on. Recall may save your dog's life one day, so don't skip out on this training, even though it can be time-consuming and challenging.
Try to command dogs with one word or a small phrase rather than a lengthy phrase. Smaller commands are easier to remember and recognize from other people, whereas longer phrases can be confusing to a dog. Make sure everyone uses the same phrase to command a dog to avoid confusion.
If there is a behavior you'd like your dog to be able to do on command, make sure you praise him whenever he offers this behavior. This works well for tricks that you are actively teaching, as well as actions that he does naturally. For instance, if you think it would be fun to teach your dog to sneeze whenever you ask, simply say, "Sneeze," and treat him whenever he does sneeze. Sooner or later, he will learn the association between the word "sneeze," the action of sneezing, and the reward.
A well-trained dog is a joy to own and a lifelong companion. Every thoughtful dog owner understands that the responsibility of training their dog carries a lot of potential benefits. There is no reason not to seek out assistance in order to get the most out of training your dog. Putting together an effective, fun training program will make you and your pet that much happier with each other.
, start with 'sit'. This is the easiest one for a dog to master. Hold his favorite snack just above his nose, and firmly say 'sit'. Most dogs will instinctively sit down at this point. Offer him the treat and don't forget to praise him profusely. If he doesn't sit, gently push his rear end towards the floor. After he has been sitting for a few seconds, give him the treat, and like before, remember to praise him.
, 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.