Sunday, September 30, 2012

Teach Your Dog New Tricks With These Tips

By Kirk McGee


Having the perfect and obedient pooch doesn't happen overnight. You must engage in teaching your dog everything he/she must know, just like a real child. Don't crack under the pressure; instead read some of the dog-training tips below for some insightful ideas. You may not end up using all of the ideas, but they can help point you in the right direction.

When training your dog make sure you never stop training. This may sound silly but it is actually very sensible. Your dog may learn tricks quickly and not forget them, but dogs never stop learning so you need to take advantage of this by teaching often. Also, it never hurts to reinforce what has already been learned.

If you don't want your dog watching you while you are eating or making dinner, try teaching him to stay behind an invisible line during mealtimes. Make an invisible barrier at the entrance of the kitchen and block your dog back into that spot every time he moves while you're doing things in the kitchen and reinforce him staying and being good. He will quickly learn that staying out of the kitchen during mealtimes is the appropriate thing to do.

Many people make the mistake of calling their dog to them when they are bad. If you are currently dog training, it is essential that you do not do this. Your dog will begin to associate you calling him over, as a bad thing and the dog will want to avoid you. So make sure you are calling your dog when he has done something well.

Never punish your puppy for bad behavior. A puppy doesn't know when it's behaving badly - it's up to you to let it know. But never use punishment, as this can cause the puppy to become fearful and resentful of you. Instead, firmly tell your puppy when they have misbehaved, and only react strongly to positive actions by giving a lot of praise or maybe a small treat for good behavior.

Praise your dog lavishly every time he or she comes closer to following commands. For instance, when first teaching the dog to come, praise for turning in the right direction. Then praise for a few steps toward you. Eventually, praise the dog enthusiastically for running straight to you at the first call. The dog associates obedience with the joy of pleasing you and shares in your excitement.

If you are getting a new dog, and you intend to train it, look for a younger dog. The old adage "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is somewhat appropriate here. Younger dogs are more receptive to dominance from a pack leader and will learn quickly in an effort to please. Another plus to this is that young dogs really enjoy learning new things, much like children do.

In conclusion, it is essential that your dog be introduced to crate training if you plan on doing any travel with it. This will allow for airplane transportation. If you follow the tips and tricks provided in this article, you should save yourself much headache by having a dog that is prepared for travelling.




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