No dog should ever end up in a shelter because of bad behavior! The truth is that a bad owner who didn’t train them is to blame. A well-behaved dog will be an invaluable addition to your family. It need not be difficult to transform your dog into a dog that meets that description; all you have to do is follow some simple steps and put in a bit of time.

If you plan on using a crate as part of your puppy’s training routine, introduce the apparatus and its’ functions very gradually. Once he is comfortable walking in and out of the crate, try quietly closing the door and offering him a biscuit through the wires. In the beginning it is important to only leave the dog in the crate for a few seconds. After a while you will be able to leave them in the crate for longer amounts of time. If the puppy gets too upset then you increased the time too much, too fast.

A main focus of training is timing your sessions appropriately. Start with a quick session initially, adding time with successive training periods. Notice when your dog begins getting distracted during a training session.

The first step in dog training is commanding control. You must command your dog’s respect by being able to maintain discipline, or his obedience will be out of the question. When you walk with your dog, be sure to keep him at heel since you are the leader.

Let any dog you approach sniff your hand first so he can smell you. This gives the dog a chance to become accustomed to your personal scent and shows him you mean no harm. Once a dog is used to your scent, it will trust you and obey your orders.

You need to show your dog how to properly walk while on a leash. This will assure that the two of you are safe when you are out on walks.

Be careful not to spend too much time at once training your dog. Remember that a dog has a short attention span and cannot focus on one thing for too long. Start off with individual training periods of no more than 10 minutes.

Get your dog’s attention the same way every time. Begin commands by using his name. You can get their attention by doing this and then use the command. Dogs will hear there name and pay attention.

You have to be consistent with your dog’s training. When more than one person is training your dog be sure that you are using the same word as a command and discipline. It will be easier for the dog if he or she learns only one particular command set and becomes accustomed to the response the behavior receives.

Try to teach your dog good habits right away. You will have much better success if you teach a dog properly early on, instead of attempting to break negative behaviors later in their life. Giving your dog scraps from the table is just training the dog that begging gets results, so don’t do it!

As it was stated previously, having a well-behaved and happy dog in your family is very possible. You need to show him love, cater to his needs and train him properly. Follow the steps listed above and your dog will become, and remain, an important part of your family.