Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Relevance Of Dog Training Advice For First Dog Parents

By Karen Bellamy


Many people give dog training advice, but not all of them are giving accurate information. People who love animals may have good intentions, but lack the knowledge and experience needed to guide a dog in the right direction.

One of the ways many people use to housebreak their dogs, is with a rolled up magazine or heavy paper. "Rubbing their nose in it", is an expression that people use all the time. Rubbing a dogs nose in their messes is never something you should do. Hitting a dog (period), is something that is not needed, unless of course, you're trying to defend yourself.

People who hit their dogs to punish them, may find that eventually their dog becomes "hand-shy". This is not something that any loving dog owner wants. A dog who cowers in fear as you approach to pet him, can be a heart wrenching experience. Hitting can also lead to the dog becoming aggressive or biting out of fear.

If your pup relieves himself on the living room floor and you're not around to see it, don't take him over to it hours later, hold his head over it, or scream at him. This will do nothing but confuse him. You must keep a very watchful eye on your pup and make sure you catch him before he does business on the floor.

In order to teach your dog anything, you must practice patience. No matter what you're trying to teach your dog not to do, catching it in the act and correcting the behavior as soon as it has taken place, is key to making the dog understand what behavior is not wanted.

Coming home from work, after a long, hard, stressful day and beating your children to vent some frustration is something you would never do. Losing your temper when a child does something wrong, teaches them fear the same way it does in a dog. Discipline should always be dealt out with a cool head and soft hands. Your tone of voice is often all it takes to convey your message.

Teaching a dog to sit, is probably one of the easiest commands to master. You simply have the dog in a standing position and push down on his rump while saying "sit". When his but hits the floor and stays there for a few seconds, give him a treat. Repeat this every day until you no longer need to push on his bottom. Most dogs pick up on this pretty quickly.

Whether your looking for dog training advice from a professional trainer or from someone who simply has a lot of experience with dogs, one of the best pieces of advice you're likely to hear is "Be patient.". Simple commands can be learned in a matter of days, more complex commands will take a bit longer. With patience and persistence you'll be well on your way to guiding your dog into the best behavior possible.




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