Here are some tips and
techniques on how to train your dogs effectively, without much stress to
you or your dog.
Dog Training Tips
Training the dog is crucial in transforming it from being just an animal to a pet. Just like you need to teach manners and etiquettes to your children, you need to train a dog as well. Dogs often have behavior problems, such as climbing up on sofas and beds and pestering you to play with them and keep talking to them. They either are unable to comprehend even the basic of instructions, such as, to respond when called, to sit down or fetch a newspaper. In such circumstances, training the dog would definitely help you solve the problems. It would also assist your dog in understanding its position in the family and accepting behaving as a part of life.
While some dogs are more submissive, others have dominant nature and quite often challenge their owners to gain the control. Yet others prefer to manipulate the owners instead of being aggressive, growling, snarling, or snapping. They use affectionate behavior and are subtle yet 'pushy'. Dogs, who are more fearful, feel more comfortable by obeying commands and knowing their place in the hierarchy. It makes them feel more secure and confident. Many dogs take children as their playmates rather than superiors as they are smaller and play with them more often. In such cases, you need to make children, older than eight years, learn the training techniques too.
Positive reinforcement is often recommended as the best method to teach anything to dogs. Let the dog earn food, treats, walks or being loved and petted on head, by learning a new trick or command. The greed of getting a treat or being loved just by adhering to a simple command would definitely make your pup perform the tasks efficiently and learn them quickly as well. In the following lines, we have mentioned tips on how to train your dog, so as to help it exhibit acceptable behavior and also save you from embarrassing situations.
How To Train Your Dog
- Training of the dog ideally should start when it is between six to eight weeks of age. However, it is never too late to begin the training process.
- Remember, the personality and temperament of each breed is different. In such a case, it would be beneficial to understand why your dog behaves the way it does, its nature, and so on.
- To teach something, you need to capture the attention of the person. The same is the case with dogs as well. Before starting the training process, you need to catch the attention of it.
- Limit the training period to about 15 minutes per day. Ensure that the place is a quiet one, free from any kind of distractions.
- The commands can start from the basic ones such as 'Sit', 'Down' and 'Stay' and gradually move to the simpler tricks such as 'Shake', 'Speak' and 'Roll Over' to the more complex commands and tricks such as 'Fetch The Ball', 'Fetch The Newspaper' or 'Jump Through The Ring'.
- Train him to perform at least one of the commands before getting anything desirable such as food, walk or love.
- Each time your dog performs a particular command, praise it and reward it immediately with its favorite treat. Motivation is the easiest and most effective way for successful training.
- You can teach him to sit and shake hands, until you throw the ball for him to fetch or even lie down and roll over to make you pet him or rub his belly. Do not give the desired thing, until the dog drops his resistance and starts obeying your command.
- Patience holds the key, when it comes to training the dog. You will have to be tolerant to train a dog. It may even wander and offer much resistance for the first few minutes. However, it is your duty to try to teach the same trick to him, after some time.
- Make sure that dog understands what you want him to do, before withholding his food or walks.
