Dog Training Articles

When you are interested in your dog being a happy and well-behaved animal, you will find that you need to think a great deal about dog behavior training. Training your pet well is a lot more than simply making sure that he does what you say; good training will help strengthen the bond between the dog and the master and you’ll find that it will make him a much happier animal as well. When you are thinking about training your dog, whether he is a puppy or a full-grown adult, there are a few tips that you should keep in mind.

1.Find out what works
When you are training your dog, you may find that your dog responds better to some things than to others. Tailor your dog’s training to suit his needs. For instance, some dogs do fine training in a yard filled with kids, but other dogs need to be taken to a place where they can just concentrate on you. If you are looking to make sure that your dog gets the most out of his training, this is something that you must keep in mind.

2.Reward him
Make sure that when he has done something right that you reward him. This is very important, because without positive reinforcement, he will not be sure what to do. Part of dog behavior training is showing him how you look when you are pleased, so make sure that you praise him lavishly when he has performed well. Similarly, remember to end all of your training on a good note, so that he has reason to look to the next one.

3.You are the one in charge of the trick, not him!
If you use treats as part of your training, you may find that whenever your dog wants a treat that he’ll do the trick for you. Do not reward him for doing this trick; this is essentially your dog trying to get some extra food, not necessarily because he is trying to please you. The whole point of good dog behavior training is making sure that he is looking for signals and looking to obey you, no the other way around!

4.Keep training your dog
There are many dog breeds that require a fair amount of stimulation; especially when it comes to dogs who were primarily bred as work dogs, you’ll find that they need to be trained constantly through their lives; this can be instrumental when it comes to making sure that they don’t become nervous or destructive. You’ll also find that working with your dog and putting him through is paces is a good way to keep the connection between you strong and to make sure that he keeps key commands in mind.

Dog behavior training is an essential part of being a pet owner, so make sure that you train your dog thoroughly; it’s much easier than you might think!

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The best time to do dog behavior training is when your dog is a puppy, but don’t be fooled by that old adage “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”  The truth is, every dog can learn, the trick is just to communicate with him on the right level.  If you are in charge of a dog’s training, don’t just jump into it.  Take a look around and see what a difference a few very useful tips can make!

1.Choose Good Command Words- And Stick With Them!
When you are teaching your dog a basic command, like “sit” or “stay,” make sure that you use the same ones over and over again.  Being perfectly clear is essential; your dog will not have any idea what you mean if you typically train him using the word “sit” and you start saying “down.”  Similarly, make sure that your command words have different vowel sounds; dogs hear and listen for the vowels a lot more clearly than they do the beginnings or ends of the word.

2.Have Fun!
When it comes to dog behavior training, never make it seem like a chore or something that your dog associates with a negative experience.  Praise him when he does well and make sure that you end the training on a high note.  Similarly, remember that making sure that there are lots of short training sessions (fifteen or twenty minutes is ideal) will keep the lessons straight in his mind.

3.Catch Him In the Act.
If you are trying to train your dog out of a negative behavior, like chewing or urinating where he shouldn’t, you’ll find that you need to catch him in the act.  If you come back home, find some poop in the sofa and punish him, he will have no clue why you are so angry.  Monitor your dog closely and make sure that you only reprimand him when you have actually caught him breaking a rule.

4.Why He Misbehaving?
When your dog evidences bad behavior, sometimes it is obvious why he is doing what he is doing.  Other times, the reasons might not be altogether too clear, and you should try to figure them out.  For instance, excessive barking can have a number of different reasons.  Perhaps there are a lot of other dogs that he feels threatened by, or perhaps he is simply lonely and in need of stimulation.  By figuring out what the problem is, you’ll have a much better shot of solving it, which lies at the heart of dog behavior training.

5.Repeat!
Don’t think that because your dog got something right that he will continue to perform flawlessly.  Even dogs who are well-behaved and mindful of their lessons need reminders from time to time, and doing regular training sessions is a good way to make sure that your dog stays sharp.  By doing regular training with your dog, you’ll find that you can head off a lot of problems before they get out of hand.

Dog behavior training requires a patience and a lot of love, so make sure that you take it seriously.  It is very important to be persistent and consistent, but soon you’ll be seeing some terrific results!

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Shara & Martin