Dog training is an area that different people will be approaching very differently. Some people may be confident trainers, whose dogs appear regularly in shows, while others might be new pet owners, struggling with a dog that is showing the effects of his troubled past. However, there are some key ideas everyone can benefit from learning and trying out. You can use the following tips to learn a few things that may help both you and your dog to have more fun and to build a closer bond.

When you are wanting to work on training you dog you should start of by making sure that he knows his name. At least 10 times a day use their name for things like playing, feeding and treats. Try not to use their name in a punishment so that way when something good happens they think of their name as a good thing, not bad.

When you are working on dog training your newest addition to the family, try not to accidentally punish the animal for good behavior. If you have gotten a puppy, for example, and he goes to the bathroom outside correctly do not leave the dog out there alone. Take time with him and play with him because if you leave him alone he will be sad and think he did something wrong.

Swatting or hitting your dog is not a good training method. If you attempt to train your dog in this manner, all you are teaching them is to be scared of you. Eventually, the dog will stop listening to voice commands, and will only respond to you raising your hand. Getting a dog’s loyalty through fear is a mistake on the owner’s part.

Make sure to keep your dog training sessions brief. Animals become bored quickly and are less likely to respond if they are not engaged in what you are doing. Aim for working with your pet three times a day for approximately five minutes at a time. This will leave them wanting more and will make your overall program more successful.

Take everything that your friends and family members say about your training program with a grain of salt. Everyone will have their own opinions about how you should help your pet learn to follow directions. Ignore most of it and do what you know is best for you and your pet.

When doing early leash training, select a nylon leash about six feet longer. A leash made of leather or other heavy material will drag on the dog’s collar even when you aren’t attempting to give a reinforcement, and can be extremely distracting for the dog. Once your dog is fully leash trained, however, leather leashes may look better and last longer than nylon ones.

If you are having problems with dog training, then you should look at your training routine. Dogs are much more susceptible to learning if you have a solid routine. All you have to do is keep repeating the commands you want them to learn repeatedly and eventually they will pick it up. Leaving you with a dog that is much easier to enjoy having.

When you take your puppy out to go to the bathroom, you must be patient with him. He has a short attention span and may get distracted by sounds and smells, or want to play. This is normal puppy behavior and should not be reprimanded, especially while he is still learning.

Whatever your skill level and the behavior of your dog, education is key to good dog training. Understanding dog psychology, particularly what influences and motivates dogs and the impact your behavior, body language and ‘body tells’ can have on that is vital. This article has given you some methods and suggestions for doing just that, which should be fun for both you and your dog to try.