Every person who owns a dog wants their dog to be properly trained. The key to knowing how to properly train your dog is education. If you want to have a well-trained dog, you need to educate yourself on the proper dog training techniques. This article contains a number of helpful dog-training tips.
Enforce the commands that you give your dog. Do not let up until they complete the task you have asked them to do. If you are not serious about making them do what you have commanded, then they will learn that they don’t have to do it. Follow through is key to training.
All dogs need daily exercise and it can be an important part of your training efforts. Daily exercise shows your dog that he is a member of the family, as well as letting him know you are a strong leader. Exercise encourages his confidence and provides you with wonderful bonding opportunities.
Always use the same words when giving commands to your dog. Using different phrasing for basic commands can confuse your dog. Saying “Come” today and saying “Come here” the next, in the dog’s mind, is like teaching two different commands, however, the behavior is expected to be the same. Keep it simple and keep it consistent.
Next time your dog jumps up on you in excitement, tell them “Off” in a firm (but not angry) voice, gently push them off, and turn your back. The verbal command and action of moving them reinforces what the command means, and turning restricts their access to you. This accomplishes two things: a) your dog can’t jump on you anymore, b) your dog feels he loses your attention, which is the exact opposite of what he wants. This teaches him quickly not to jump on you.
When training your dog, keep your goals and expectations for your dog reasonable. Just like when you try to learn something new, your dog isn’t going to learn new tricks the first time you teach them. Different breeds and even different dogs within the same breed, will have different levels of receptivity towards training.
Use cheese as a treat when you are training your canine companion. Cheese is nice change of pace for your dog from packaged treats. Dogs typically love cheese and will consider it a fine treat. Do not overdo it though, cheese can have a high sodium content. Your dog could be sensitive to this.
Your dog requires at least one hour of exercise every day. Keeping a dog healthy with exercise allows for more efficient training sessions in the future. An exercised dog is a happy and responsive dog.
Dogs can get bored during training. Doing the same thing over and over for endless time periods, will assure your dog will not be a good student. Try to vary your routine and put time limits on the amount of time you practice different behaviors. When your dog feels like an experience is new, he will respond quicker.
Never yell at a barking dog. While a barking dog is sure to raise your frustration level, resist the urge to yell at them. Dogs do not understand that you are yelling at them, and often associate your raised voice as you joining in the fun of barking. If your dog is barking, calmly distract them with a toy or treat, and when the barking stops, give them their prize.
If you want to train your dog, you should wait until it is at least six weeks old. A younger dog will not understand what you are expecting, and not be able to control itself enough to obey your commands. The first weeks of your puppy’s life should be about creating a bond with you.
A great dog training tip is to get rid of your dog’s food dish. Dogs like searching for things. They like to explore, and they like using their nose to locate goodies. By losing your dog’s food dish and by hiding dog food throughout the house, your dog will become much happier.
As was mentioned in the beginning of this article, every pet owner wants their dog to be well trained. In order to properly train your dog, you need to research different dog-training techniques and strategies and educate yourself on what does and does not work. Apply the dog- training advice from this article, and you will be well on your way to having an obedient, well-trained dog.