Virtually every negative dog behavior, including barking, growling, and aggression, can be prevented or counteracted with proper training. Even if there are still a few slip-ups, any behavior can be modified with the tips in this article. A well trained dog makes a great pet.
Dogs generally focus on one thing while ignoring everything around them, unless something interrupts that intense focus. Repetition and practice will result in your dog waiting to take cues from you rather than being distracted by other things.
When house training a dog, keep in mind that whatever they take in, they must eventually eliminate. To keep your pet regular, feed him quality food a couple of times daily at the same hour. If you know when the puppy eats, you will be able to better predict when to take him out. This means fewer accidents!
It is important to have an appropriately sized dog crate. Do not forget that all puppies will grow up. You want a crate that will suit your dog right through to adulthood. The dog should have plenty of room to turn around and lie down without being crowded.
Start with the easy stuff. This will be great for immediate gratification, and your dog will begin to understand what you expect along the way. Using this method as you train produces better results.
Training Sessions
Limit the duration of training sessions. If you spend too much time doing one training exercise, your dog will become bored. Try to limit initial training sessions to 10 minutes or less.
You need to make certain your dog is having fun each day during training sessions. If you do so, your dog will feel closer to you, and even respond to training better. Training may be a fun activity, but it’s also good to enjoy your time with your dog.
Keep training sessions with your puppy short. A puppy has a short attention span and limited energy to focus, so keep your sessions brief and as positive as possible. He’ll likely forget everything you taught him if you do too much at once. He will also look at training as a negative experience and it will be harder next time.
When your dog is displaying unwanted behaviors, use water to spray him. This will teach your dog that there are certain behaviors that are unacceptable. Eventually, these behaviors will end and your dog will be well-behaved and play in the right manner.
Giving praise to your dog for a job well done is important. Positive reinforcement, shown through your tone and attitude, lets your dog know he has done a good job. Negative behavior should never be rewarded because then, your dog will associate this bad thing with a positive reward, which will cause your dog to only continue this bad thing.
Always avoid offering your pet a reward for bad behavior in the hopes of snuffing out an undesirable action or tendency. This will give your dog the wrong mindset during the training session. An example would be a scenario in which you give your dog treats whenever it barks.
You should make training fun for both you and your dog. Aim for a 10-15 minute training session, which is optimal for the dog’s attention span. Give your dog rewards that vary and come often. Make sure you shower your dog with abundant praise when he does well. When you take a more positive approach to discipline, the process becomes far more enjoyable.
Challenge your dog on a regular basis. Make sure your dog knows what he is doing by testing him!
Don’t teach your dog bad habits by reinforcing them. If you seem to be amused by unacceptable behavior, your dog will assume his behavior is acceptable and will do it again. This can seriously slow your training program, and cause considerable frustration for you. You must stay consistent, no matter how cute the misbehavior is.
Puppy training shouldn’t be a battle, and dog owners are now learning that. When the owner approaches the issue with a positive outlook and adequate self-education, canine training is a snap. Dogs are wonderfully loyal so they will enjoy the training period, if only for the fact they are trying to please you.
