Friday, November 2, 2012

Tips To Make Training Your Dog Easier And More Rewarding

By David Hamilton


Separation anxiety among dogs is a common problem which most dog owners confuse with destructive behavior. If you know the right way to educate your dog, so that he realizes that sometimes, he will be left alone. Only then, will the dog understand how to cope when you are not around. This article contains a number of helpful tips to help you in your dog training efforts.

When teaching a puppy basic commands, start with 'sit'. This is the easiest one for a dog to master. Hold his favorite snack just above his nose, and firmly say 'sit'. Most dogs will instinctively sit down at this point. Offer him the treat and don't forget to praise him profusely. If he doesn't sit, gently push his rear end towards the floor. After he has been sitting for a few seconds, give him the treat, and like before, remember to praise him.

Training your puppy should start as early as 6 weeks old. The earlier you can start training your new pup, the better the results will be. Studies have found that dogs are the most receptive to training from 6 to 14 weeks old so use that time wisely.

The diet you are feeding your dog needs to match their needs and activity level. The diet that is right for a working dog is a lot different from that of a dog that lounges around the house all day. Talk with your vet regarding what is right for your pup and don't forget their needs will change as they age.

Be sure to give your dog lots of attention and love. By not doing so, your dog will eventually intentionally misbehave. In their minds, any attention is better than none at all. Plus, your dog is a living creature and needs love just as much as any human does.

If Fido has really messed up and say, eaten the trash for the third time this week, take a moment and calm down before reacting. If the incident didn't happen immediately, your dog will not connect the behavior to the punishment, so save your voice and consider ways to make sure the behavior doesn't happen again.

When you are house training your puppy, remember, what goes in, must come out. To keep your puppies toiletry habits regular, feed him a high quality food 2-3 times a day at the same time each day. This will give you an idea of when to take your puppy out and lessen the chance of accidents.

Dogs should continue to be trained throughout their lives. Many owners think that once a dog is trained, he's trained forever. This simply isn't true. Daily reinforcement by reminding your dog of simple commands, exposing him to new people and providing positive reinforcement is important. This will keep your dog well behaved and allow him to remain a happy member of the family.

As was discussed in this beginning of this article, separation anxiety is a common problem with dogs that is often, misrepresented as destructive behavior. If you understand the proper way to lessen your dogs anxiety, then you will start to see positive changes in behavior. Apply the advice from this article and you'll soon see your dog showing less and less destructive behavior when you aren't around.




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