People say that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Hopefully we can help you prove them otherwise with the tips and tricks in this article. All of the methods have been hand picked for your older dog that you either have never trained, never trained well, or obtained from someone else.
When you are wanting to work on training you dog you should start of by making sure that he knows his name. At least 10 times a day use their name for things like playing, feeding and treats. Try not to use their name in a punishment so that way when something good happens they think of their name as a good thing, not bad.
Use your time walking the dog as a time of bonding and positive reinforcement. Try bringing your treats along and playing games with them during the walk. Ask him to sit in the middle of your walk and reward him with a snack. Reinforce the love you have for your dog and they will respond in kind.
Your friends and family, in most cases, are not dog trainers. While those around you may have advice and opinions on how you should handle your dog’s training, it does not mean they are correct. This input may be well-meaning, however, you can ignore most of it if you have taken the time to do your homework.
Food and treats can be your ally in training your dog to seek out his crate. Allow your dog to find strategically placed bits of food and a few treats every once in awhile when he returns to his crate. He will make it a habit of checking the crate out more regularly just in case something else has miraculously appeared there.
Young puppies can be quickly potty trained by keeping them with you all the time and carefully observing their actions. When very young they might need to be taken outside as frequently as every hour! By carefully watching them you’ll quickly learn how they act when they need to relieve themselves.
At a very young age, puppies are able to learn simple commands. If your puppy is tired, highly excited, or exploring his space, your training session will probably not be very successful. You will need your puppy’s full attention to assure your training session is worth your time.
Don’t feed your dog food they aren’t accustomed to when house training them. Very rich foods, in particular, make it hard for a dog to control their bowels. Stick to the tried and true in terms of types of food and the quantity you feed and the house breaking experience will proceed much more smoothly.
The key to successful dog training is to start them as soon as possible. No matter how old your dog may be it is never too late to get them started. While it may take a little longer, you can still achieve a great deal of success. You can start training most puppies after they are about 6 weeks old. This is the perfect time to get the ground rules setup for a calmer more obedient dog.
When training your dog, keep your goals and expectations for your dog reasonable. Just like when you try to learn something new, your dog isn’t going to learn new tricks the first time you teach them. Different breeds and even different dogs within the same breed, will have different levels of receptivity towards training.
Make training with your dog fun. By playing games with your dog, a strong bond will develop between the two of you, which helps the dog respond in a positive manner during training. While training can be fun, try having play time with your dog every day for a period of time.
If you aren’t having success training your dog on your own, hiring a trainer can help. Trainers are specially qualified to work with difficult dogs, and find easy ways to modify troublesome behavior. Many a dog has been able to remain with his family because of the help of competent trainers.
A good tip when training your dog is to take your dog outside for a walk if you notice him digging. It’s pretty common for dogs to dig when they’re bored and anxious, and getting a little exercise can go a long way in stopping a destructive behavior like digging.
If your dog is bored, try making him work for his meals. There are toys and puzzles for dogs that require the dog to discern between scents. There are toys that make the dog think creatively to get food out of a chamber. Either way you go, your dog will have his scavenging instincts fulfilled!
A great way to potty-train your puppy is to crate-train it. A dog won’t potty where it sleeps, so keep the puppy in his crate and let him out for a potty break at regular intervals and he will go. Eventually, your pup will learn that bathroom time is outdoor time. This type of training also prevents a lot of accidents.
Housebreaking a dog takes time. Make sure that you take the dog out first thing in the morning and keep taking him out throughout the day. Always take him to the same spot when taking him out to potty. The dog will learn to associate this spot with his business. If an accident happens clean it up and ignore the dog. This will let him know that you are unhappy with him. Do not physically discipline the dog or rub his nose in it, doing so just intimidates the dog and makes accidents more likely to occur.
Make sure you dog proof your home to reduce chewing or destructive behavior while you are away. Young dogs or bored dogs may chew when left alone just to have something to do. Take the time to close interior doors and put away items dogs like to chew before you leave to limit the opportunities for chewing while you are gone.
In conclusion, training an older dog can prove to be extremely difficult but not impossible. Depending on how the dog has been raised, your challenge may vary greatly. As long as you follow the specialized tips provided in this article, you are set up for success in training your older dog.
