Dog Training Made Easy

Whether you have a seven pound Yorkshire Terrier or a two hundred pound Mastiff, a dog can sometimes be a real headache. They can become urinate all over the house, excessively whiny when they want something, and embarrass you in public by going all wacky when they encounter another dog. Just go to your local shelter and ask yourself why are all these dogs here. While there are dogs in the shelter for legitimate reasons (a family member develops an allergy for example), I'd say that over seventy percent of these dogs are in shelters because the owner simply did not spend the time to train his pet. This doesn't need to be the case people. There are ways to correct any issues you might have with your pet. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Tip #1

Your training environment should be somewhere your dog is familiar with, preferable in your home. Trying to train your dog at a local park for example, is not advised. Remember, a dog (especially a young pup) has a short attention span and with all the extra external distractions such as new landscapes, scents and objects your pet will be too distracted. This will take away from the training experience.

Tip #2

Initial training should only involve your dog and one family member. It should also be on a one to one basis. Again, this goes back to the distraction issue. If there are other people present when training takes place, it will greatly hinder your progress. It is recommended that only after your pet successfully learns a new trick (sit, stay), that the initial person who was training him model the steps to each family member. The observers should remain seated and quiet and to not overly excite your pet. When it's the observers turn to do the training, the same exact hand motion, words and vocal tone should be mimicked as to keep the training consistent.

Tip #3

Whoever said a way to man's heart is through his stomach has obviously never dealt with a dog. A reward for performing a desired behavior will serve to reinforce that behavior. While verbal praise is also viewed by the dog as a reward, a favorite treat can go a long way during a training session. You can break the treats into small pieces because you can easily go through a large amount of treats in a very short time. The treats should only be given when your pet performs a proper command. For example, if you tell Fido to sit and he rolls over your should not give him a treat!

It is important to understand that punishment should only be the withholding of a reward and a stern "NO". You should never ever scream or hit your dog. You want your dog to respect you, not fear you as this will only cause future resistance to training.

Once you follow these three simple tips, training your dog will be fun and simple. The two most important considerations are consistency and patience. The feeling of having your pet fully trained cannot be described in words. You will be proud of Fido and won't be able to wait to show them off to your friends, and equally, you will see how eager your pet will be to perform these tricks as they love to see their owners so proud of them.