Saturday, April 28, 2012

Dog Teaching Basics For First-timers

By Cameron Johns


Training doesn't only happen during designated training sessions. Every time you interact with your pup, you are training him. Make sure to stay consistent in your commands and requests and to continue to reinforce those good behaviors. If you are training him to stay off the couch, don't let him jump up there while you are watching a show. Stay consistent at all times with what you want him to do and you will see the rewards.

Young dogs can easily be trained to retreat to their crate when they are tired. When crate training your dog, always keep the crate in the vicinity of where you and the dog are interacting. When he tires from play he will naturally gravitate towards the crate because to do so doesn't isolate him from you.

Just because your dog is obeying you, do not assume that they are done learning. Your dog is always learning. Never stop reinforcing good behavior. This is especially important if you move. A new surrounding can be very distracting for a dog. You might have to reteach them a great deal.

To keep your dog from barking while you aren't home, you need to make him think you can appear at any moment. This will take some time on your part. Pretend to leave the house, but stay outside until the barking starts. Then open the door and deliver a stern "No!" This will make your dog think you are all-seeing and all-hearing. A few sessions of this technique, and you'll train your dog to keep it quiet.

To help train your dog, you must assert yourself as the dominant one in your relationship by refusing to give the dog undeserved attention or food. When you convince your dog you run the show and, in addition, let the dog recognize you can use that power to give it something it wants, your dog will obey your commands more effectively.

Puppies tend to nip as a way of communicating, and this should be curbed. It is normally a signal that they want to play. If you observe a puppy with his litter mates, this is the way that they interact with each other. When your puppy nips you, say 'no' firmly, and immediately give him a toy to play with.

Many puppies like to use their mouths to play because that is how they played with their litter mates. This should be discouraged as soon as possible after your puppy comes home. It may be cute when a seven pound puppy pulls on your arm or shirt sleeve, but I assure you, it isn't as cute when a fifty pound dog does it.

When working on teaching your dog a command, keep training sessions short. It is much better to train your dog for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, than all in one 15 minute session. This will keep your dog focused. Before your dog gets bored, end the session. This will keep him interested and wanting more.

Reinforce desirable behavior from your dog. Don't just rely on treats though. You can reinforce these behaviors through positive attention as well. Petting your dog and talking to him in cheerful tones can be a good incentive too. So can a new squeaky toy or a trip to the park.




About the Author:



No comments: