A trained dog generally means a well-behaved dog to a knowledgeable dog owner. From the basic obedience to the advanced training techniques coupled with adequate instruction and socialization, your dog can become better behaved, while feeling happy and safe. Here are several puppy training tips to consider.

Make sure you establish feeding routines and times for your dog. Training your dog to expect that when fed, once or twice a day, you will be removing the food bowl in 10-15 minutes, will lay down a feeding schedule that your dog will adhere to. After some time training the dog this way, it will begin to finish the food before it is time to pick up the bowl.

Dogs can have a one-track mind and remain focused on one thing until you break the dog out of it. With enough training, you will have your dog focusing solely on your signals.

Do not use shock collars. They don’t often work well and cost more than training methods which are conventional. These devices can stifle your dog’s natural reactions and have negative effects on even good or acceptable behaviors. These tools often do more harm than good.

Once your pet is able to progress through training sessions, you’ll be able to loosen the reins somewhat. Balancing obedience and liberty make dogs feel very satisfied. Don’t give your dog too much free reign though.

Mastering the “leave it” directive is an excellent starting point for your training sessions. This command instructs the dog to release an object and then retreat from it. You can use this command for a number of purposes. For example, it is used to prevent the dog from chewing on something or even to guide them out of harm’s way.

Training Sessions

In addition to regular walks and dog training sessions, you should make time to let your dog exercise for at least one hour every day. Keeping a dog healthy with exercise allows for more efficient training sessions in the future. A dog who has received plenty of exercise is happier and more responsive.

Successful puppy training for walks means being aware of any dogs or other animals you will encounter while walking. Some dogs tend to be aggressive, and it’s not safe to assume that every dog owner is responsible. If you come across a dog that seems aggressive avoid it.

Getting your new puppy used to wearing a collar is the first step in leash training him. Helping your dog feel comfortable with a collar on is critical because it helps ease the adjustment to a leash, and it also facilitates identification of the dog should he become lost.

When your dog is displaying unwanted behaviors, use water to spray him. Your dog will quickly learn that what he is doing is not acceptable. Your dog will learn to associate these behaviors with the water and will stop doing them.

Teach your dog the “down” command. This command helps them build upon other commands, or it can be used in emergency situations. The down command can have a dog drop down at any given second, which is great for safety reasons.

You should use the name of your dog as a positive reinforcement more often than you use it as a reprimand. This ensures your dog doesn’t associate his name with punishments, meaning he’ll come when you call him in future.

Make sure you never give your dog the inappropriate signals when he misbehaves. If your dog does something wrong and you laugh at him or pet him, then he is likely to repeat this bad behavior indefinitely in the future. This can seriously slow your training program, and cause considerable frustration for you. Your dog’s misbehavior may be funny on a certain level, but don’t let him know you think so.

Hopefully, these guidelines will improve your relationship with your pet, and allow both of you to enjoy your time together. Training your dog well makes your dog more fun to have around and cause less stress. Either way you train your dog, yourself or through a trainer, you will enjoy your pet more.