Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Having A Dog That Will Listen To You Is Important

By Sally Byrd


Deciding to have a new dog enter your life can be a very joyous occasion. However, without a plan in place, that joy will quickly morph into frustration. You may start to wonder why you bothered. To relive that previous joy, you will need to teach positive behaviors to your pet. This article can teach you how to train your dog.

When you are using a dog crate in your training, you need to help your dog get used to it as his home. Leave the crate door open and place food inside of it when it's time to eat. This will help him associate good things with his crate.

Ensure that your dog eats well. A bad diet can cause your dog many problems. If your dog isn't getting what it needs to stay healthy, it could really struggle to find the energy for training or may act out in other ways. Feeding your dog quality food can greatly affect what you accomplish during training sessions.

As you progress with your dog's training, you should begin to give it more and more freedom. Balancing obedience and liberty make dogs feel very satisfied. Like most things, too much freedom can be counterproductive, so exercise caution with certain liberties.

When house-breaking your puppy, choose a specific phrase to use when it's time to go outdoors. Whenever the dog is taken out, use the term you have chosen to refer to the process of relieving him or herself, and the pet will make a mental link between going outside and doing just that.

Try a phrase that you will stick with to train your puppy when you are house breaking him or her. When you are outside with the puppy, say the chosen phrase to keep him focused on the task he is to accomplish.

Use a spray bottle filled with water to prevent your dog from doing things it should not do, such as scratching the furniture or biting. Getting sprayed is a little unpleasant, and will give your dog the idea the the behavior is unacceptable. Soon your dog will stop these behaviors and you'll have a playful yet obedient dog.

Exercise your dog for at least an hour each day in addition to regular outside potty breaks and training sessions. A dog that is physically active and has the chance to exercise regularly is more capable of learning during training sessions. A dog that's well exercised is a responsive and content dog.

"Quiet" is a command you will probably want to teach your dog. When it starts barking, show them the treat and say the command until it quits barking. Once your dog has stopped barking, you can award it with a treat. If you do this long enough, it will surely be able to associate having treats to it being quiet.

Try teaching your dog the command of "down". This is an important command for your dog to know in social settings. If you teach your dog how to get 'down', this might help in an emergency.

Giving praise to your dog for a job well done is important. Smile often and keep treats handy to ensure that the positive reinforcement is quick and consistent. Negative behavior should never be rewarded because then, your dog will associate this bad thing with a positive reward, which will cause your dog to only continue this bad thing.

Never, ever reward your dog for bad behavior so that you can quickly stop it. This teaches the dog that he is in control. An example of something to avoid is giving your dog a treat when it is barking.

Give your dog a treat to get him to respond as you desire. Over time, you can adjust your approach to reward the behaviors with a treat only three-fourths of the time. This frequency can be decreased as you progress through training sessions.

Have several different treats available as rewards for your dog so he doesn't get bored. You can increase your dog's incentive to learn the desired behaviors by offering treats that are extra-special. This helps your pet to understand that this is no ordinary reward.

While it is possible to teach older dogs new tricks, it is essential that you are mindful of any medical conditions or issues that it may have. If your dog is affected with a physical disorder, they may not be able to engage in physical activity. With the right training program, you can inspire your dog to meet his full potential. This is true even for dogs who are more advanced in age. Your first concern needs to be for your pet's health, though. You don't want to subject your dog to unnecessary pain or discomfort.

Make sure your dog gets checked out regularly. If your dog doesn't like training or refuses to do certain things get him checked out. Dogs tend to be good at masking their pain. Many times the only sign that a health problem exists are behavioral changes. For instance, aggression may signal pain, while regression concerning house training may be suggestive of urinary tract infections.

If you are bringing a new pet into the family, make sure to introduce them to any existing pets slowly. Before you even consider adopting a new pet, think about the one you have at home. You should make sure to adopt a pet that fits your life and personality so that you can establish a good bond.

Mental exercise is an vital part of your dog's life. If your dog is not a chewer you might want to give them a toy that gives them something to do, like a puzzle. You will have many options, so decide on a puzzle toy that you know your dog will like.

There are many elements to dog training; patience may be the most important. The tips we have provided will get you and your pup started on the road to a wonderful, loving relationship for many years. Although changes may take awhile to happen, consistency will lead to happiness, for both you and your dog.




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