If you’ve never trained a dog before, you are probably eager to find some solid, helpful canine training tips. The below article provides this great advice to help you begin your training for your furry companion.
When you correct your dog verbally, those corrections should be short and focused on the behavior. Do not waste time ranting about how bad your dog is. Just say no, then let them know what behavior you want to see. When speaking to your dog, use a voice that commands respect.
Ensure that the mood is calm as you approach your dog. It is nice to calmly play with your dogs, but remember to stay relaxed. You can retain control over the environment by allowing a few moments before acknowledging your pet. You are behind the decisions to play or interact.
A healthy diet is essential for your dog. The effects a bad diet has on your dog extend further than you might think. Not only is it unhealthy, it can affect the way they behave. Feeding your dog quality food can greatly affect what you accomplish during training sessions.
Your dog needs to be active frequently. Just like humans, dogs can become bored easily. Not to mention that a bored dog is going to be more stubborn during training. When your dog gets regular exercise, he will be much happier and will pay attention more easily. Walk or run your dog frequently.
As you are working to house train your pet, select a single term or phrase that you will use. For example, you could use the phrase, “go potty” when you take them outside to help them remember what to do when you go outside and say the command.
Pay attention to the length of your training your dog sessions. Dogs can only handle a short amount of training at a time, so don’t overdo it. Limit the amount of time you train at first to less than 10 minutes.
Ensure you frequently put your dog in social environments at an early age. You need to show them what is acceptable when they are around people and their pets. This helps reduce unacceptable behavior in social environments.
Make sure your dog’s training sessions are brief. The average dog will pay attention for about fifteen minutes and will not learn anything once it has lost interest in the exercise. After each session, you should play with your dog, reward and praise it.
It’s important that your dog enjoy training and look forward to training sessions. Aim for a 10-15 minute training session, which is optimal for the dog’s attention span. Be sure to provide rewards often, and give different treats from time to time. Make sure you shower praise on your dog when they do well. If your dog perceives training as fun, he will listen to you more!
Give challenges to your dog on a regular basis. Get him to repeat tricks you haven’t practiced in a while, to keep him sharp.
Does your dog like to pull on his leash during a walk? This issue is often faced by dog owners, but is quite easy to fix. Most pet stores carry affordable harnesses, which prevent behaviors like pulling or straining during walks.
Training is not a good time for punishing your dog. If he misbehaves, correct him, but most importantly, you should try to prevent that behavior from happening to begin with. Training your dog is a great way to develop a positive relationship with him.
Give a treat to your dog when it responds to an order and is obedient. Slowly, as they get older, begin reducing the amount of treats you give them until they are only given on special occasions.
When housebreaking a dog, it is advisable to use the crating technique. Use a consistent schedule for proper crate training of your dog. Given time, a crate trained dog is much less likely to have accidents inside.
Try using the “shake-can” training method. Put a handful of screws or pennies into a lidded can. Shake the can whenever your dog misbehaves. The dog will be startled and the behavior will cease. Your dog will know when they hear the can shake they are doing something bad. Don’t desensitize your dog by overusing this technique.
If you know that your dog will react negatively in response to certain triggers, distract him until the moment is over. Try distracting your dogs from other dogs while on your walks. This builds a relationship where he takes his behavior cues from you and your responses.
Your dog has a brain that needs to be exercised too. Find some fun puzzle toys for your dog to develop its problem-solving skills while being able to chew. Puzzles can help your dog to build confidence and release excess energy.
Some dogs are so scared of thunderstorms that they are literally a danger to themselves. If your dog experiences great fear when hearing thunderstorms, be sure to talk to your veterinarian. A veterinarian can prescribe a sedative to be used during thunderstorms. This is usually a last-ditch effort that occurs when modifying behavior isn’t enough to tackle the issue, but it can benefit the dog’s life if it’s serious enough.
If you know your dog is going to have to potty inside, create a specific bathroom area for that purpose. Use potty pads in the acceptable area, and gradually reduce the size of the area to only one potty pad.
As the tips above show, your training your dog will really pay off when your dog is behaving the way that you would like. Apply what you’ve learned here, and you’ll be an expert dog trainer in no time.
