Learn how to train a dog with these easy steps.
Learning how to train your dog depends on understanding your dog.
Training your dog; what fun this can be. Have you ever watch a person try to train their dog? It is quite comical I assure.
There is something immensely amusing about a grown adult spending hours on their knees talking to a dog that is staring at them with a look of bewilderment and probably wondering why every time they are told to stand up they are again told to sit down.
Training your dog is a long process and can get to be frustrating, however it is equally fun when you can get them to so things like roll over and shake hands.
I always wanted a dog that would get my slippers or bring me the paper; of course while managing to get a minimal amount of drool on either one.
Then there are the super cool dogs that do things like back flips with Frisbees and all those other cool tricks you see done by animals on animal planet.
That stuff is the really cool dog training, but do you ever wonder if the dog enjoys all that training.
Learn how to train a dog with care.
I really wonder how the dog feels about it. It isn’t as if anyone asked them if they wanted to spend their lives running around lie crazy in an effort to impress a crowd of judges who arbitrarily decide what makes one dog’s back flip better than another dogs.
Problems between dogs and their care givers arise from a multitude of reasons, most of which could be easily avoided.
Inconsistent training, expecting too much too soon, harsh or inexperienced handling, and negligence are responsible for the majority of ongoing canine behavior problems. Understanding your dog will help.
Expecting too much from your dog is how to train a dog into failure.
Pet owners who take the time to become knowledgeable about their pet’s needs, and who build a solid foundation of love and trust with their pet, rarely experience serious behavior problems once training is complete.
Pet owners who fail in these areas, however, are likely to instill fear, confusion, lack of confidence, and even depression in their pet. Reading this blog post will help
persons to understand the unique needs of their canine companions.
A Dog’s Unique Personality
Dogs are a lot like most people. They may goof now and then, but they invariably try and do their best. They truly want to please their care givers. A sensitive dog owner will realize this.
Sensitive dog owners will also realize that, like people, some dogs catch on more quickly than others; others are slower to learn.
Some dogs are also more easily distracted. Some are naturally more aggressive, others more timid requiring extra patience and encouragement during training.
Understanding your dog is vital, for both you and your dog. This is especially true when it comes to training.
Guidelines for Successful Training
There are ten important factors to remember if you desire training success:
1.) Patience is critical. Forcing a puppy or young dog to do more than he is capable of doing, losing control and yelling or striking out at the dog, or ending a training session on a sour note all sabotage training success and build confusion and mistrust in the dog.
2.) Keep training upbeat and fun for your dog. Sessions should begin and end with success. Start the session out by “reviewing” a feat or accomplishment your dog already does well. End the session in the same way, with plenty of praise.
3.) Structure is important, so be consistent. Training sessions should be performed regularly. Sessions should be timed to end while your dog is still enthusiastic and attentive. They should last about 15 minutes for puppies, 30 – 40 minutes for adult dogs. Sessions should also be conducted in as distraction-free a location as possible. That means no audience of onlookers for the sake of showing off your “skills” as a trainer.
4.) Be lavish with praise. Reward each success with plenty of verbal and physical praise. Not only will this build confidence in your dog, and create a stronger bond between the two of you, but it will make him even more anxious to please you when learning other new feats.
5.) Never call your dog to you for disciplinary purposes. This will only make your dog apprehensive and reluctant to approach the next time you call. Instead, order him to “sit,” and “stay,” then approach him.
6.) Never over-discipline. Once a dog understands a command but refuses to obey, reasonable physical discipline may be appropriate. Discipline should never be violent or executed in anger; it should always be imparted in a calm, controlled manner.
7.) Don’t lock your dog into shame cycles. When a dog refuses to comply, verbal and physical discipline should be controlled, and reasonable. Ongoing verbal reprisals and scolding when a dog bungles an assignment is ineffective and will only serve to strip confidence. It will discourage your dog and make him dislike training sessions altogether.
8.) Understand that learned behavior takes time. Just because a dog learns the “sit” command on Monday while in his own backyard, that does not mean he will be able to carry the lesson over to Friday’s day at the beach. Dogs do not instinctively apply knowledge learned in one setting to another quite different setting. He must be taught how to do that; it takes repetition over a period of time, and patience.
9.) Teach commands in steps. For instance, before a dog can effectively learn the “lay down,” command – which is, in actuality, a three-step command – he must first learn the commands “sit” and “down” (or lay down). Break multi-tasked commands into simple steps.
10.) Factor #1 bears repeating. Patience is crucial.
By working with your dog following these guidelines you will soon discover the essence of each. Patience combined with consistency, love, and praise for accomplishments well done are the most important factors of all when it comes to building trust in your dog, and assuring training success.
The advantages of teaching a dog to come when called are obvious. For starters, coming when called will help you regain control of the dog in case of collar break, snapped leash or other similar equipment failure.
This is particularly important when you are out with your dog, especially in an area with lots of traffic.
It is vital that the dog respond to your voice and return to your side, even in the absence of collar and leash, and even if there are lots of other things competing for its attention.
Coming when called is also a vital skill for every working dog. Whether the dog’s job is herding sheep, guarding livestock, or sniffing out bombs and drugs at the airport, the working dog must be under total control at all times, whether on leash or off.
This is why it is important to learn how to train a dog.
Even if your dog’s only job is being a loyal companion, it is still vital that he learn this important basic obedience exercise.
After the first obedience lessons, such as heeling, stopping on command, sitting on command, etc. have been learned, it is time to start incorporating the come when called lessons into the daily training sessions.
One note about dog training it is all too easy for training sessions to become dull and routine for both handler and dog. A bored dog will not be receptive to learning, just as a bored handler will not be a good teacher. It is important, therefore, to always incorporate fun things and play into every training session. Incorporating a few minutes of play time before the lesson begins can do wonders for the attitude of dog and human alike. Likewise, ending each training session with a few minutes of free play time is a great way to end on a positive note and to help the dog associate obedience training with fun and not drudgery.
The command to stay and the command to come when called are often combined in obedience training lessons, and they do go naturally together.
Start with the dog on a loose leash, ask the dog to sit and then slowly back away. If the dog begins to get up and follow you, return to the dog and ask him to sit again. Continue this process until you can reach the end of the leash without the dog getting up.
After you can successfully reach the end of the leash on a consistent basis, try dropping the leash altogether.
Of course you will want to do this in a controlled environment like a fenced in yard. After the dog has mastered the stay command, it is time to add the come when called command.
Take up the leash again, and with the dog on the end of the leash, say “come” or “come here”. It is often helpful to use a lure when teaching this behavior. The lure provides a visible item for the dog to focus on. Teaching the dog to come to the lure is a good first step in training the dog to come when called.
Repeat this procedure many times until the dog will consistently stay and then come when called. After the dog has mastered coming when called while attached to the leash, slowly start introducing the concept when the leash is removed.
As before, these training sessions should only take place in a controlled, safe environment, such as a fenced in front or back yard.
A well trained, obedient dog should respond to the call to return to its owner no matter where it is and no matter what distractions may occur. It is therefore necessary to test the dog with distractions of your own.
If you have a neighbor, preferably one with a dog of his own, try having him come over with the dog. Have him, and the dog, stand just outside the fenced in area and repeat the come when called exercise with your dog off leash.
If he becomes distracted by the other dog, put the leash back on and repeat the process.
The goal is to have your dog consistently pay attention to your commands, no matter what distractions may present themselves.
I hope you have learned how to train a dog.