Training your dog can feel like a constant game of tug of war, and half the time the dog is winning. Successfully training your dog can be challenging but very rewarding. This article will help guide you to a better relationship with your pet by offering a variety of training tips for your pet.
When teaching your dog discipline, regardless of what training method you use, you should always apply it with speed and consistency. Not correcting your dog for bad behavior every single time, sends him mixed signals that may only make the problem worse. Likewise, not correcting your dog immediately, may make it hard for him to understand why you are punishing him.
Watch what sort of activities you are encouraging your dog to do. Sometimes we may perform actions with our dog without realizing that they are training them to do something we dislike. If every time your dog chews something up you send him outside, you are teaching him that chewing something up is the key to getting outdoor time. Be careful with the actions you take, especially ones that tend to be consistent practices.
Throughout your dog’s training program, continue to play with them as much as possible. Interacting through games and activities is one way to bond with your pet and relieve stress. Dogs respond much better to people they trust, so go out and throw a ball, play tug of war or just rub their belly.
Your friends and family, in most cases, are not dog trainers. While those around you may have advice and opinions on how you should handle your dog’s training, it does not mean they are correct. This input may be well-meaning, however, you can ignore most of it if you have taken the time to do your homework.
If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, an easy way to train them out of it is to avoid giving them attention immediately before and after you leave. It may seem mean to the dog if you don’t say goodbye before you leave, but those long goodbye cuddles just give the dog a chance to get worked up.
When training a doggy, use primary reinforcement. Primary reinforcement makes use of something that is already inherent for a dog to love getting as a reward when they behave. Some examples of primary reinforcements are food and rubbing the dog’s belly. This lets your dog know how to earn something it wants.
Allowing everyone in the family to tell your dog different things will completely defeat the purpose of training him. Have a family meeting or keep a list of dog training rules on the refrigerator to remind all people that interact with the animal to be consistent with commands, punishments and rewards. Otherwise the dog will be in a constant state of confusion and every family member will be completely frustrated.
If you are traveling with dogs, make sure to pack everything that your dog needs to eat, sleep and use the bathroom. Bring food and water bowls, waste baggies and treats for a good trip. Items like food can be left at home. Simply purchase some when you reach your destination.
If you do not communicate that biting is unacceptable, your puppy doesn’t know he is doing something wrong. When you catch your puppy biting, redirect him to a chew toy or bone. As soon as the pup starts to bite, firmly say “No!” and give him the chew toy. While you are teaching a puppy to stop biting, do not play any wrestling or tug of war games with them to strengthen what you are teaching.
A dog with hobbies is a happy dog. Make your dog work on walks. Many large breed dogs enjoy carrying items during walks such as tennis balls, sticks, or even dog-sized backpacks. This gives a dog a sense of purpose and gives him something to concentrate on. This way his attention span will be less likely to stray from your walk.
Good behavior should be reinforced and bad behavior should be discouraged. Your dog will benefit from consistency. This consistency will allow your dog to understand your message clearly. If there’s no reward to performing a behavior, your dog will be less likely to try it.
Your dog can, and should, find the training experience to be a positive one. Training sessions need only be 10 to 15 minutes, so the dog reaps the benefits within his attention span. Vary your rewards. The more you reward your dog the more he will continue the positive behavior. This will make training and listening pleasurable for your dog.
Dogs can be spoiled just like children. While rewards are definitely necessary to keep your dog on the right path, too many rewards can lead your dog to expect them! Your dog should be treated for challenging tasks, or performing tasks he knows under exceptional circumstances. Making him work for his grub encourages him to stay on his toes.
Don’t punish good behavior. Many dog owners make a big mistake during training for recall by having the dog come for reprimanding. This will only teach your dog that responding to his name is a negative event, and will discourage such behavior in the future. Make sure your punishments never incorporate desirable commands.
Don’t let your new puppy sleep on your bed. While it might be tempting to bring a puppy up onto your bed for the night, it’s a big mistake! Once they get used to it, they will refuse to sleep anywhere else. Also, remember that the small puppy that only takes up a small amount of space will grow very quickly. Every dog needs its own personal space, as do you!
As stated at the beginning of this article, training your pet can seem like a bit of a challenge. Now that you have read these tips, you have put yourself in a great position to better understand dog training. Knowing these tips can be the first step to having the best relationship with your dog that you possibly can.