Too often, people bring a dog into their home without planning ahead. It is a huge commitment. In order for dogs to behave, they need a lot of good training. This article provides the basics for dog training.

Don’t waste your money on cruel, ineffective gadgets such as shock collars. They often do not function properly and their cost is rarely justified. If you start using these methods, your dog will not be responsive to anything else. These techniques don’t normally work.

Try shaking a can when training your dog. Place a hand full of coins in any empty can, and then seal it up with tape. If the dog does something wrong, shake your can once as hard as you can. Doing this will give the dog a start and it will stop what it is doing. If you do this every time the dog exhibits a negative behavior, he will soon learn that these behaviors are not acceptable. Just shake your can a single time, because doing so more often will result in desensitization.

If you are crate training your dog, you need to show them that this is where they will sleep. During meal time, place their food in the crate while allowing the door to remain open as they eat. This will give your dog a positive association with the crate.

Your dog needs to exercise its brain too. Dogs that do not chew a great deal may benefit from puzzle toys that hone problem-solving abilities. Puzzles come in a lot of different types, so select one that is best for your dog.

When house training your dog, keep in mind that whatever you feed him must come out. You can promote consistency and regularity by feeding your pet on a firm schedule two or three times daily with only the highest quality of food. That way, you’ll know when you need to take your doggie out to “go”.

To prevent the dog from biting people or furniture or otherwise causing damage, use a water bottle to spray him. This will teach your dog that there are certain behaviors that are unacceptable. Your dog will learn to associate these behaviors with the water and will stop doing them.

When training your dog, it is important to always be consistent. This applies to words used as commands, your tone and the rewards you use. If you find something that works, stick with it.

Dogs are no different from people in that they often have unique learning styles. For example, a laid back and loving dog will likely thrive on positive reinforcement, whereas a more aggressive dog may need negative reinforcement in order to respect your alpha position. If you have been trying one method without success, then you might need to think about switching up your tactics.

Be patient when teaching your dog, it will take some time. You might have to repeat the same exercise up to fifty times before your dog remembers it. Continue repeating the command patiently, and eventually your dog will understand it.

It is never a good idea to provide a reward for bad behavior when attempting to end a particular negative behavior. The dog will only learn that it is the boss. When a dog barks, never reward it, for example.

If you know your dog is going to have to potty inside, create a specific bathroom area for that purpose. Get some potty pads placed in that area, and over time remove one after another until there is one left. This will help train the dog to go in that one specific locale.

Among the initial commands a dog should learn is “leave it,” which instructs the dog to drop whatever it has and step away from it. This basic command is extremely helpful when your dog is chewing on something he shouldn’t and also helps to keep him away from dangerous items.

You can teach an old dog new tricks. The advice in this article can be applied to dogs of any age. You must act promptly to prevent harm and injury caused by a dog that has not been properly trained.