Dogs
Training
- Many people start their dog on the path to dog training success by enrolling them in a basic obedience class. This is a great idea because you will learn how to teach your dog to do basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, and “heel”. You can use these dog training commands by using verbal commands and physical actions. For example, right after you say the word “sit” you gently push your dog’s bottom down onto the ground and put them in the sit position. Immediately say “good” and smile. Give them a tasty treat as well. Basically, you want to do as much as you can to reinforce the action of sitting when you say “sit”.
- Dogs act like absorbent sponges when it comes to learning proper behavior and tricks. If you do your job properly then dog training should be a hit. Your dog is ready and eager to learn proper behavior. They want to please you. Therefore, if they aren’t following your instruction it might not be their fault. You might be giving confusing dog training instructions.
- Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement and encouragement. Positive reinforcement such as acting excited and petting your dog when they do the right behavior help with your dog training efforts. It is a dogs nature to want to be close to you and make you happy. Showing encouragement and praise will help your dog much farther, much faster in their dog training. Make sure to encourage a dog through each dog training accomplishment, no matter how big or small.
- Food is a powerful motivator when it comes to dog training. You will be hard pressed to find a dog that passes up food or a tasty treat. Dogs are always hungry and welcome any situation where food is involved.
- Dog training should be a gradual process with regards to skill level and learning more complex commands. Give your dog time to understand new commands. They most likely won’t learn it the first day you teach them. You will have to review the commands and proper behaviors often.
- Have dog training sessions at various times throughout the day. Your dog needs periodic training to reinforce the proper behaviors. You dog’s attention span can wane, so make sure to keep the training sessions to five to ten minutes long.
- When you first start dog training work in environment that is free from distractions so your dog can focus on their behavior. Once your dog understands the basic commands you can try to use the commands in a busier environment. One thing you may find is that your dog is distracted and seems to have forgotten the commands. Don’t fret. This can happen because dogs tend to be situational learners and your dog just needs to work on the commands in the busier environment
. - Too many treats equals an overweight dog. Dog training is a process that involves tasty treats, but too many of these treats can be a bad idea for your dog’s waistline. Use small treats and wean your dog off treats as they understand the different commands. They will then rely on your praise as the positive reinforcement for each behavior. These eight dog training tips will set you on the road to happy, healthy, obedient pooch
2006 (c) mdarma.com - All Rights Reserved Worldwide Dogs
