House training your dog can be very difficult when first bringing home your new friend, but that is only true if you do not have a consistent routine. This article will show you how to properly establish a routine that you and your new dog can easily follow.
Don’t interact with your dog when you are frustrated or angry. Simply put your dog up and take a break. Training will proceed much more efficiently when you return. Each of you will be rested, have a fresh outlook, and be ready to tackle that seemingly elusive training task once again.
A very important command that any dog should know is ‘stay’. Not only can this command stop him from doing something dangerous like running into the street, it can calm him down in a strange place. Firstly, tell him to ‘sit’. Hold him in the sitting position, repeating the word ‘stay’. Praise him with a treat, all the time ensuring that he stays seated.
Your friends and family, in most cases, are not dog trainers. While those around you may have advice and opinions on how you should handle your dog’s training, it does not mean they are correct. This input may be well-meaning, however, you can ignore most of it if you have taken the time to do your homework.
Dogs generally focus on one thing while ignoring everything around them, unless something interrupts that intense focus. If you do it enough times, your dog will wait for your signals instead of focusing on other things.
Do not respond to demands for attention from your dog. Training a dog to be docile and controlled, means that you control when attention is given. In the pack, Alphas will ignore these behaviors until the dog is calm and relaxed. Then and only then, should you build excitement through play with the animal.
It takes many repetitions before a dog is able to learn new commands. You might have to keep repeating something to a dog as much as fifty times for it to ‘click’. Try using the command more often and be very patient if you want your dog to learn.
Make sure you’re not reinforcing an undesirable behavior. You don’t want to give your dog treats or special attention during training if they’re not performing the task properly. If you do, then they’ll think you’re pleased and continue to do things the way they’re doing them, and they won’t improve.
If your dog is not listening while you are doing dog training, make sure that the dog is not ill. There will be no benefits to punishing your animal if it is not feeling well, and it can have very detrimental effects afterwards. If you are unable to decide if the dog is sick then contact a veterinarian for assistance.
When potty training your dog, be consistent. Establish one, specific place for your dog to do his business. Take him there at the same times daily (e.g. when you first get up in the morning, when you get home from work, and just before bed). Praise your dog when he does his business in the right place at the right time. If he has an accident in the house, tell him “No!” firmly, and take him out to his potty place.
When giving a dog a flea bath, start at the neck and work towards the tail. To prevent fleas from getting into your dog’s eyes, ears, or nose, begin the bath by creating a barrier of wet, soapy fur around the dog’s neck. As you work your way down, fleas will have no choice but to head for the tail, and inevitably, their death by drowning.
If you have a dog that is not learning, despite training, sometimes bringing in another dog that is already trained, can work wonders. The trained dog can lead by example and will receive all the praise from the people around. Meanwhile, the untrained dog will be watching what the trained dog is doing and learn from this.
One tip to keep in mind when training your dog is to be firm with orders and do not overuse your commands. This is important because if you over-saturate your commands, your dog will not be as responsive. Only give your dog orders when you are looking for a response.
Food is one of the best positive reinforcement tools available to the owner in the dog training process. Feeding a dog after it has behaved acceptably is a powerful message that any dog will understand. Of course, dogs should not be starved! But associating feeding time with success will encourage a dog to work harder to live up to its owner’s expectations.
Be consistent when training a dog. A dog does not understand why sometimes hanging out on the couch is allowed, but other times results in a scolding. Decide what the rules are, and stick to them every time. Soon your dog will know what to expect and want to please you by doing the right thing (and receiving the occasional praise and even a treat or two for getting caught doing well.)
A tip for small dog owners: make treats small to ensure your dog doesn’t become full during training sessions. Believe it or not, a dog will work just as hard for a treat the size of a pin-head as he will for a treat the size of your thumbnail. This way, training sessions can last longer and be more interesting.
Is your dog barking constantly? Excessive barking can often be related to too little exercise – try upping your walks or runs by thirty to sixty minutes each day, and you’ll likely notice a huge reduction in barking almost immediately. Giving your dog plenty of appropriate things to chew on can also make a big difference.
As mentioned in the beginning of this article, it is very important to get your new dog to understand what should and should not be done inside your house. If you set a routine and be consistent in your training methods, this will lead to a greater understanding from your dog as to what is the proper way to behave.