A better name for the art of puppy training would be “human training”. A person must know how to communicate what they are trying to teach their dog before the dog will be able to learn. Puppy training is not an innate skill people are born with, so do they need to do the research to train the dog properly. This article offers some good guidelines for first-time dog trainers.
Put yourself in the dog’s situation. Frustration may come quickly if your dog does not pick up your training of basic things quickly. Instead of giving up entirely, you might consider trying to put yourself in your dog’s mindset. Your training will improve if you view things the way they do.
Use the right size crate for effective crate training. Keep in mind that your puppy will eventually grow into a bigger dog. Choose a crate which will be the right size for the dog when he grows up. The dog should have plenty of room to turn around and lie down without being crowded.
Training Sessions
Training sessions should be very short. Since dogs do not have a long attention span, short lessons will prevent them from getting bored. If you do have long training sessions, break it up so your dog can rest a little bit.
Puppy training involves a firm hand. Never scream at your dog, you need to do the right thing and be nice to them and stern at the same time. This fosters a strong relationship between you and your dog.
Every puppy in training will make some mistakes in the potty department. It’s important to immediately clean up the accident to make your training more effective. Urine and feces smells will stay in the carpet if you don’t clean them up straight away, causing your dog to go back to the same place to do his business. There are a variety of products that will help you remove the odor; check with the local pet store or department store.
Grooming is very important. Be sure to research any special grooming and hygiene requirements associated with the breed of your dog. Some breeds require a lot more grooming than others, sometimes on a weekly basis. Grooming accomplishes many things for your dog, including happiness, cleanliness and protection from diseases.
One trick to remember when training your pet is that the things that you do will surely mold its behavior throughout its life. Keep this in mind, because negative behaviors toward the dog might have a lasting impact. You want to constantly be teaching your dog the behavior that you want it to have.
Teach dogs a “down” command. This is one of the basics, and is good for emergencies. By teaching your dog the command “down,” you can ensure his safety in the event of an emergency.
Although it can be very difficult at times, patience should always be used with your dog. Your dog is not human and does not speak or understand English. The only thing it can understand is your tone and physical gestures. It will not know why you are behaving in such a manner. Take a breath and relax if you feel your frustration starting to creep up.
You should be constantly challenging your dog and re-teaching it the tricks you’ve previously taught it. Give him “quizzes” to make sure he still knows his stuff, even if you both know he does.
When your dog is six months old, have it spayed or neutered. As soon as you have had your dog neutered start him in obedience classes. You will find that dogs that have been neutered or spayed exhibit calmer behavior and are more eager students than they might otherwise have been. It will also give your pet an extended and healthier life.
Use treats that your dog really wants if you want to get the best results from your training sessions. Even cheese or lunch meat can be a great motivator.
Always deal with your dog if they are barking simply because they have nothing else to do. If your dog is barking because he’s bored, then you should be prepared to take the blame. You have to give him the opportunity to get his energy out. You need to take the time out of your busy day to take your pet on a walk. When you are busy, give him chew toys.
Now that the people who are interested in training their new pet dog have, hopefully, learned some new tricks, they can proceed to pass them along to their pets. Once a dog is on its way to learning, the owner will begin to appreciate the dedication that he or she has shown for doing the right thing for man’s best friend.