Tips on Training Your Dog
In a way, dogs are very much like children in that they need to be taught what is right and what is wrong. Without being taught, they have no way of knowing how they are expected to behave. They’re not mind readers after all. Dogs are able to learn a number of commands and how they are expected to react to them. This can range from simple commands such as ‘sit’, to more complex actions such as performing tricks or even helping out in emergency situations.
With a little time and patience, it is fairly easy to teach most dogs when to sit and when to stay. Providing treats as rewards will help them to recognize when they have done what is asked of them. Over time, these simple commands will become second nature to your pet and they will gladly obey with little prompting.
Start Your Puppy Young
As with people, dogs are able to learn faster when they are young. Because of this, it is best to start training them from a young age. If they are not trained early, they may develop bad habits that might be difficult to rectify when they get older. This should not be too strenuous on the dog as too much stress could lead to anxiety. Human training should always revolve around reward for good behavior, and never punishment for bad. Use harsh tactics when training your dog and you could be causing them some long term psychological damage.
When training, you should always start with simple commands first, progressively moving up to more complicated commands. Patience is essential. Remember that your pooch just won’t understand what you want to begin with. If they are not doing as you ask it’s not that they want to be disobedient, they just don’t know what you expect of them.
Dog Training Techniques and Equipment
When training their dogs, many people find that a clicker is very useful. A clicker allows you to let your dog know when it has completed a command successfully. This positive reinforcement helps to condition them into performing good behavior, and away from bad behavior. The clicker also makes quite a distinctive sound to help avoid any confusion with other sounds around them. Treats will help to strengthen this positive reinforcement so make sure that you have some with you whenever possible.
Teaching your dog more advanced commands requires more patience, and more know-how. A variety of books have been written on the subject of training your dog and they can help to make your training sessions a lot more effective. Some degree of experience can also be useful, meaning you are likely to become a better trainer with more sessions.
Professional Dog Obedience Trainers
Some dogs can have behavioral problems that will require the help of professional trainers. This is often likely to be the case in dogs that have been rescued from homes where they were neglected. Even the worst behavior in dogs can often be corrected, but can be difficult to do. Some professionals will hold group courses so that they can teach you the methods involved in training your dog. This knowledge will help you to nurture your pet so that it is happy and well-behaved.
Dog training can be frustrating and time consuming, but it is definitely worth the time and effort involved. You will likely be spending a lot of your lives together, so it is best to make sure your relationship is as rewarding for both of you as possible.