Posts Tagged ‘dog training’

Dog training is one of the most important things you can do for your pet. It will greatly improve the relationship between you and your dog.

Dog training will give you a means of communicating with your dog. The most obvious way it can help with communication is by teaching your dog to respond to commands. Next time you come across your dog ripping apart your favorite pair of slippers, you will be able to use simple oral commands to stop the destruction. Dog training will also improve communication by allowing your dog to find its place within your household social hierarchy. By teaching your dog to sit and give you its paw, you are telling the dog that you are in charge. When your dog obeys your command, it is recognizing your position.

Dog training can also protect your dog. A dog that has been properly trained won’t go chasing after a bouncing ball into traffic. A dog that has been properly trained won’t take a nip at other dogs or pedestrians when you are out for walks. A dog that has gone through dog training will be a confident dog. You will also be able to give it more freedom to do things like run off the leash when you know it will return on your command.

Finally, dog training can be a fun activity for you and your dog to do together, a time for you to focus all your attention on your dog. It need not be a chore, and it should never resemble an extended punishment.

The most important concept in dog training is the reward. Rewarding your dog with treats is the fastest and most pleasant way for your dog to learn new commands. While punishing your dog has its place in most dog training regimes, it should be used sparingly. If all your dog ever receives is punishments or reprimands, your dog will quickly learn to ignore or avoid you. This will make it extremely hard to properly train your dog.

Dog training should start as early as possible. While you may not see immediate benefits, and many doubt puppies can actually be trained, it will at the very least set the stage for successful dog training later in life. The methods you use to train your dog will seem familiar and a part of its daily routine. This is not to say that you can never teach an old dog, new tricks. Just be prepared to put more effort into it than you would with a younger dog, and to always be patient.

While there are many resources available for you to train your dog on your own, the easiest way is to use a dog trainer. You should spend a lot of time picking a dog trainer, however, as bad training techniques could be very damaging to your dog.

Anyone can call himself or herself a dog trainer. It is therefore important to only use a dog trainer that has been glowingly recommended by someone with well-trained dogs, or by a reputable organization. And before spending any money, ensure that the dog trainer uses methods you are comfortable with. Visit the facility and see a dog training session in action. If you see any signs of cruelty or hostility by the instructor towards the dogs, find someone else.

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Dogs never stop learning and even a mature dog can be trained using the same obedience training techniques as those used on a pup. Sure, a puppy may be more controllable and their minds are easier to shape, but there are some benefits to training an adult dog, such as less rambunctious behavior and more of an interest in pleasing you than in playing.

If you adopt a mature dog, don’t just assume that he/she is old and set in their ways. Although it may take a little more time, your new four-legged friend can learn some very valuable lessons. A dog of any age can be housetrained and they will be much happier for it. When an animal lacks obedience training, it also lacks discipline and structure. If you care about your pet, make sure to train him/her to obey your commands and know the difference between right and wrong. At any age, an unruly dog is an unhappy one.

Using positive reinforcement, such as rewarding your dog with treats when he/she responds to your command, praise or strokes, your mature dog will be able to learn what makes you happy. Ultimately, your dog’s goal in life is to earn your love and most would do anything just to gain the approval of their owner. By rewarding your dog when he/she behaves appropriately, you are showing that you are happy with their behavior. A mature dog, like a puppy, will respond to this type of dog training and will quickly learn what each command means.

The most common types of dog training methods include teaching your dog to sit, stay, roll over, lie down and to avoid jumping on guests as they enter your home. The latter is especially troublesome in young puppies and dogs, but mature dogs often lack the desire to frolic around and are content in lying in their favorite spot.

Teaching your mature dog to sit involves nothing more than giving them the command and gently pushing downward on their backside. Once they are seated, reward them with a treat and praise. If you want your dog to stay in one specific place, which is ideal for when guests are visiting and your dog is eager to great them, holding your hand up and instructing him/her to “stay” will be a good step toward success.

If you have a large dog that is difficult to control, obedience training may include the use of a harness to help him/her to stop pulling during walks. This is one of the most effective and simplest ways to train your dog to enjoy a walk without constantly being pulled about the neighborhood. If a dog has not spent a lot of time on a leash or has not been taught the proper way to behave, a harness will gently prevent him/her from pulling and possibly even harming you in the process.

For additional training information and commands, it’s a good idea to consider a dog training manual, video or program that is designed specifically toward teaching your four-legged friend the do’s and don’ts of dog training.

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