You’ll always remember the day your puppy came home with you. That joy can quickly become a huge frustration. When you’re cleaning up piles of poop, you may regret your decision. However, you can get that initial joy back by properly training your dog. This article is packed with practical and proven advice for training your pet pooch.
The walk can be very hard to master, but with the right practice and patience, your dog will be walking right by your side in no time. Firstly, do not allow them to leave the door first. When you put his leash on, make him sit first or give you his paw. In short, some sort of obedience to get him in the spirit. Then, when you are actually outside, if he begins to walk in front of you, give the leash a quick tug to assert yourself as the one in charge.
To introduce a new animal into a home that already has dogs, you should give that animal their own territory. This could mean initially giving the new cat or dog their own room or taking your old dogs out of the house before bringing the new dog in. Because dogs are very territorial, this tactic gives your new dog more leverage and makes your older dogs more reluctant to get aggressive.
Your home is your domain. Your dog must see the environment they live in as your territory. Stepping around a lying dog or not moving the animal from a place you intend to use gives him the right of way. This should not be allowed. Dominance in the pack means exercising your power in a non-confrontational way but with firm resolve that this is your territory.
Dogs sometimes make mistakes because they can’t do otherwise. It’s your job to figure out why they can’t. Consider an older dog, for example, that has been completely housebroken for years. If all of a sudden it starts relieving itself in the house something is wrong. The dog is likely sick and should be seen by a veterinarian.
Don’t force your dog to go into his crate. Instead, profusely praise him when he enters his crate on his own. Young puppies, in particular, might be somewhat afraid of the crate when it is first introduced. If you force them to enter it their fear might turn into terror. Their natural curiosity will eventually override their fear.
Never leave a tied dog unattended for long lengths of time. Even the best trained dog can become excited and active enough that they snarl up their chain or rope around and around itself or another object. If you don’t catch this in time your dog could actually twist his collar tight enough that he suffocates.
When training your dog to walk on a leash, remember that your dog should follow where you lead, not the other way around. Dogs are pack animals, and the leader of the pack always travels in front. You want your dog to see you as the leader, so they need to learn to walk behind you.
The key to potty training a new puppy is consistency. Remember that when he is with his mother, he can relieve himself whenever he needs to, so it will take some time for him to learn that he must wait for someone to take him outside to go to the bathroom.
Dogs usually respond well to physical rewards when being trained. Almost all dogs have an extremely large capacity for love. That makes them respond very well to rewards like belly scratching, back petting and brushing. Your dog wants to be loved and greatly appreciates you giving him affection. Show your happiness with his success this way.
Allowing everyone in the family to tell your dog different things will completely defeat the purpose of training him. Have a family meeting or keep a list of dog training rules on the refrigerator to remind all people that interact with the animal to be consistent with commands, punishments and rewards. Otherwise the dog will be in a constant state of confusion and every family member will be completely frustrated.
A great way to train your dog to stop chewing items when you’re away from home is to catch them in the act. When you see your dog picking up an item, ready to take a bite, slowly take the item away from them and firmly, but in a gentle way tell them “no”.
Do not call your dog to you for a scolding. You might still be angry at the dog for the trouble he has just caused, but do not punish him for coming when called. It should always be “safe” to come to you when called, and the dog should feel that you are glad to see him.
Don’t punish good behavior. Many dog owners make a big mistake during training for recall by having the dog come for reprimanding. This will only teach your dog that responding to his name is a negative event, and will discourage such behavior in the future. Make sure your punishments never incorporate desirable commands.
Pay careful attention to your timing as you train your dog. It is much more effective to correct him just before he has misbehaved rather than after; if you are able to catch him while he is still thinking about what he should do, your redirection is much more likely to have a lasting impact.
Don’t let your new puppy sleep on your bed. While it might be tempting to bring a puppy up onto your bed for the night, it’s a big mistake! Once they get used to it, they will refuse to sleep anywhere else. Also, remember that the small puppy that only takes up a small amount of space will grow very quickly. Every dog needs its own personal space, as do you!
There must be equal amounts of love, dog treats and patience when training a dog. The tips above should have showed you how to get that new puppy on the right track to being a great companion in the future. You cannot expect to do this overnight. However, if you’re consistent and remain patient, you can create a better relationship between you and your dog.
