Dog training can be very intimidating to someone that has never done it before. There is a lot of information out there and sorting through it all can seem difficult. These are just some tips to help you start out with dog training the right way.
If there are certain things that set your dog off causing bad behavior, then keep his mind focused on other things as you pass by what provokes this bad behavior. For instance, do something distracting to entertain and stimulate your dog when you are walking him and you approach another dog that your pet does not deal with well. By doing this, he will start to see that good things can happen even when he sees that stimuli.
When you are working on crate training with your dog or puppy small steps is what works best for them to get used to it. When they seem comfortable in it with the door open, try shutting the gate and feed them treats through the wires. At first, leave the dog enclosed in the crate for only short periods of time, such as 10 seconds, and then gradually increase the duration. If the puppy gets too upset then you increased the time too much, too fast.
There are a lot of tricks you can teach your dog to do; a common one is training him to hold a toy in his mouth without chewing it. Whenever he puts the toy in his mouth, give a treat and his clicker reward. After your dog succeeds in mouthing an object a few times, move on to rewarding the dog for picking it up with his mouth. Once he does, click and reward. As he gets even better, only give him a reward for holding the plushie in his mouth for a few seconds.
Do not neglect to make a visit to the vet for a spay or neuter around the six month mark. This should be done at the same time you start obedience training. A spayed or neutered dog is a better pet and a more attentive obedience student. You and your pet will enjoy a longer and happier life together.
Stop your puppy immediately if he is chewing on something he shouldnt. This will help your puppy to learn what things he is allowed to chew and what he is not. He will then be less likely to chew on your belongings and instead will turn to his toys when he wants to chew.
Training should be an enjoyable activity for your dog. Keep training sessions to more than 10 to 15 minutes to stay within your dogs attention span. Reward your dog generously, when warranted. Make sure you shower your dog with abundant praise when he does well. When training is fun, he will pay attention and listen to what you say.
Try a phrase that you will stick with to train your puppy when you are house breaking him or her. Use the same word or phrase each time you bring him out to go to the bathroom so that he understands what you want him to do and makes a memory link between the phrase and the act.
Communication is the basis for dog training. As you train and interact with your dog, you must be consistent and straightforward. This applies to corrections and rewards, as well as your body language, when training. Remember to always pay attention to the communication signals from your dog. The animal will usually let you know what he or she is feeling.
Try to get your dog on a regular feeding schedule. This will give you an idea of when the dog is likely to have to go, so you can take it outdoors to take care of this matter before an accident occurs on your rug. Sticking to a schedule will teach your dog how to control himself until his next scheduled potty break.
Using wee-wee pads is actually counter productive when you are potty training your new puppy. The problem with the wee-wee pads is that they leak and leave enzymes from urine and feces behind. Potty pads can also mislead your dog into thinking that similarly shaped items throughout your home, like rugs, are appropriate places to go. The best option is to toilet train your dog outdoors.
Do not wear out your new puppy with an excessive training regiment. Remember that all dogs have short attention spans and puppies even more so. Hell 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.
Limit the duration of training sessions. Your dog is going to get bored doing the same thing over and over. Try to limit initial training sessions to 10 minutes or less.
When your dog reaches six months, make sure that your dog is spayed or neutered. This should coincide with the beginning of obedience classes. A dog that has been spayed or neutered will be a more obedient dog. You and your pet will enjoy a longer and happier life together.
Teething is painful, and providing chew toys helps alleviate the pain. Keep items that are potentially more painful out of reach. Take it away, and give him a chew toy. A frozen washcloth can provide teething relief for your pup.
If you know that your dog will react negatively in response to certain triggers, distract him until the moment is over. If your dog is antisocial around other dogs, distract him with something interesting if you get near other neighborhood dogs. This will allow him to make the relation between the positive stimuli and positive things happening.
Limit the duration of training sessions. It is possible that your dog will lose interest if it is made to do the same thing over and over. Do not spend more than 10 minutes on each session.
As with most things, and this goes with dog training as well, dont ever give up. Dogs need consistent reinforcement in what you have taught them so they remember the good behaviors and dont revert back to their old, disobedient ways they had before training. Training never ends. It is an important part of taking care of your dog.
Just as a human likes to stretch out and lay on their backs, so do dogs. Therefore, it is essential to have a dog bed big enough for your furry friend. There are big, long dog beds around for larger dogs, or you could look for a mattress taken from a crib. This is a convenient and fun alternative because you have the opportunity to change the appearance of the bed and keep it clean by simply putting a new crib sheet on it every few days. The crib mattresses are also waterproof which means they are highly durable.
A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.
Dog training is mostly about being consistent with your pooch and setting the rules of your relationship. Once those are set, youll find you both enjoy your time together even more! Keep in mind that you must continually reinforce your dogs training lessons. Provide refresher courses when needed and continue to correct bad behavior. Once your dog gets the training basics under his collar, you will not be limited in what you can achieve together..
