Monday, May 28, 2012

Get One Of The Most Out Of Your Dog Training With These Great Suggestions

By Tony Kafaz


Although it seems as though it should be one of the easiest things in the world, many people are often confounded by the intricacies of training your dog. Although you may be frustrated by the results you have had in the past, this article is meant to provide you with the tips you need to ensure success in the future.

Children

When a dog lives in a house that does not have any small children or older adults living in it, the owner should go out of their way to introduce their dog to those types of people. By introducing them in a controlled situation, one can train their dog how to act around those types of people if they are ever over at the home.

"Time out" training works with dogs and puppies as well as with children. If your dog exhibits inappropriate behavior like jumping, nipping, or running crazy through the house, try a "time out" in a crate or quiet room. This will allow the dog to calm down and will provide incentive to avoid the behavior in the future.

All dogs should be taught the basics of obedience training not only to keep them safe but to protect people and other animals to which they are exposed. Start teaching your dog how to sit, stay, heel, come, and understand the word "no" as soon as he is old enough to be trained. Even the calmest dog may unexpectedly start to chase a car, a bike, a cat or a squirrel. Giving the command "no" or "come" should stop the dog in his tracks and prevent him from getting hit by a car or endangering the person or animal he is chasing. Some dogs tend to jump on people as a means of welcoming them, but this could be dangerous to small children or elderly people who aren't steady on their feet. Telling your dog to "sit" and "stay" eliminates this concern. A well-trained dog not only makes a pleasant companion but also reduces the risk of accidental injury to himself or others.

It takes the entire family to train a dog. When you have a family dog it is important that all members participate in the training. This ensures that the message of what is right and wrong is consistent. Involving children in the training ensures that the family pet sees them as alpha members of the family.

To help train your puppy not to chew on household items and furniture, you should make sure that your puppy is always occupied with an acceptable activity. Just like small children, puppies are always wanting to experience new adventures. If you don't provide an activity, they will find one, and you probably won't like the one they pick.

Dog training sessions should occur at the same time each day, if possible. Dogs, much like children, can thrive on a set schedule. This pattern will promote a learning environment in which your dog is eager to learn at the given time. Sporadic training causes confusion within your pet and can prolong the training.

Allowing your dog to socialize is a crucial part of training. Some negative pet behaviors come about when dogs have not been introduced to new people (including children), other animals, or a variety of settings. Helping your dog become comfortable with new experiences lessens the chance that your dog will fear or act aggressively in a new situation.

Is your dog eating a nutritionally-sound diet? Like children, dogs can become hyperactive, inattentive and even a little bit bratty when their diet isn't up to par. Consider changing your dog's diet to something more species-appropriate, and he'll have long-lasting, consistent energy all day. Check with your vet about any specific nutritional needs he might need attending to!

Use your dog's "voice" to help you with the training process. A dog's bark or whine can tell you a lot about their mood and what they want. Paying attention and responding to their signals will help your pet be happier and more successful during training. You may also want to target excessive barking as part of your training program.

One tip to keep in mind when training your dog, is to use its name properly. This is important because control over your pet is the number one priority in training and discipline. Say it's name often, but only for direct orders. Never call your dog to you if you plan on inflicting punishment on it.

Get your dog to stop chewing undesirable objects by offering him interesting alternatives. There is an endless variety of chew toys available at any pet store or department store. Get a basket and put "his" toys inside and keep it full of fun playthings. Hopefully, he will learn to prefer his own toys to yours!

When your canine has misbehaved, do not give it too much attention. In doing so continually, your dog will equate bad behavior with receiving attention from its owner(it does not matter to your pet that it is negative attention) and this will only reinforce bad habits which are difficult to break in the long term.

If you don't want your dog to chew your furniture, making it unpleasant, can help. There are many clear and odor free products on the market that you can put on an item. These products will make the item taste bitter or unpleasant, thereby, deterring your pet from chewing it.

Well, hopefully the aforementioned collection of tips were enough to give you a great start on what to do and expect when it comes to training your dog. This collection was carefully constructed to help you begin to hone your dog training skills into having a more well-behaved, obedient dog.

Rid your dog of pent up energy through indoor games and allow training to be more focused. Have your dog fetch a ball, run on a treadmill or light chasing. These kinds of activities will release the excess energy in your pet and your commands will carry more weight since your dog is relaxed after exertion.

To properly train a dog, you must be consistent at all times. Never allow your dog to partake in such activities as pulling you on walks or jumping all over people. Don't ever give into your pet's really cute face. In doing so, your dog will become confused and not know what is right or wrong in that particular situation and will do what he/she wants.

If you want to help your dog succeed in his training program, take a moment to try and think like he does. Understanding how your pet views the world can help you make better training decisions for him. The better suited your program is to your dog's personality, the more success you will have while training.

Part of a successful dog training program is to keep the dog healthy. Your pet cannot respond to you well if it is feeling poorly. Make sure to take your dog to the veterinarian for regular checkups or for any illnesses that might arise. While you are there, get a microchip implanted in case you ever lose track of your precious pet.

In conclusion, nobody wants to hear your dog bark. There are many different reasons why your dog barks, and it is important to understand the root cause. As long as you follow the tips and tricks in this article, you should be able to reduce or eliminate unwanted barking from your dog.




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