Top Ten Dog Training Tips

1.LISTEN TO YOUR DOG 

Learn to listen to your dog. If your dog appears to be uncomfortable meeting another dog, animal or person, do not insist to say hello. He tells you he does not feel comfortable for a reason, and we must respect that. Forcing the issue can often lead to more serious problems down the line. 
 

2.Be generous with your affection 

Most people have no problem to be very clear about when they are unhappy with their dogs, but often overlook the good things. Big mistake! Make sure you give your dog lots of attention when he did the right thing. Let him know that he was a good boy. This is the time to be generous with your attention and praise. It is even okay to be a little exaggerated. 
 

3.DOES HE REALLY LIKE IT

The fact that the bag says "a treat all dogs love" does not mean that your dog will love it automatically. Some dogs are very selective about what they like to eat. Soft and chewy candies are usually more exciting for your dog is hard and crunchy. Keep your eyes open for what you like. 
 

4.TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT HIM TO DO

There is nothing inherently wrong with telling your dog "no," but it does not give enough information. Instead of saying your "no" dog, he says what he wants to do. Dogs do not generalize, so if your dog jumps up on someone to say hello and you say no, you can jump higher, or you can jump on the left side instead of the right. A better solution would be to ask him to "sit." Tell him what you want me to do to avoid confusion. 

 

5.Be consistent 

Whenever you train your dog, it is important to get as many family members involved as possible so that everyone is on the same page. If you tell your dog "off" when he jumps on the couch and the other person says "down," while someone else is to let you hang out there, how on earth is that what ever you want? Consistency will be the key to your success.

6.Have realistic expectations 

Changing behavior takes time. You must have realistic expectations about change the behavior of your dog and how long it will take to change the behaviors you do not like. What behaviors are often "normal" doggie behaviors will take the most time as barking, digging and jumping. Also, you should consider how long your dog has repeated behavior. For example, if you do not mind that your dog jumped on people to say hi for the past seven years and now you decide you do not want to do that to him, this behavior will take a lot longer to undo if you sent when I was a puppy. Remember it is never too late to change the behavior some will just take longer than others. 

 

7.Do not underestimate the benefits of breastfeeding a high quality food 

Feed your dog a high quality diet with adequate amounts of protein. If your dog spends most of his time, lounging in your condo, do not feed him food with a protein content that is perfect for dogs who herd sheep all day. The money you will spend on feeding an appropriate quality food will often save you money in vet bills later. I recommend you always check with your veterinarian for the right diet for your dog. 

 

8.WHAT YOU strengthen - not necessarily what YOU WANT 

If your dog exhibits a behavior you do not like, there is a high probability that this is something that has been reinforced before. A good example is when your dog brings you a toy and barks to entice you to take. You throw the toy. Your dog has learned that barking gets you to do what I want. You say "no", and I bark more. God forbid you give in and throw the toy now! Why? Because you will have taught him persistence pays. Before you know it you have a dog that barks and barks every time I want something. The solution? Ignore his barking or ask him to do something for you (like "sit") before throwing his toy. 

 

9.BRIBERY VS. REWARD

The idea of musing treats to train is often equated with corruption. Actually, dogs do what works. If using treats gets them to do what you want, then why not? You can also use the world around you as a reinforcement. Every interaction you have with your dog is a learning opportunity, so when you think about it, you probably do not use food very often active, except during training sessions. So why your dog continues to lag? Because you backing him praise, touch, games and walks. Just remember, the behavior should produce the treatment, the treatment should not produce the behavior. 

 

10.FREEDOM 

Let your new dog gradually earn freedom in your home. A common mistake that many parents make pet is giving their new dog too much freedom too soon. This can easily lead to accidents relating to training and destructive chewing. So shut the doors of unoccupied rooms and use baby gates to the outside of the home section, if necessary. One of the best ways to minimize incidents is to keep your dog tied up in the house and using a safety zone or an active dog crate when you can not watch him.