7 Tips For Successful Dog Training

Posted on 26. Oct, 2011 by admin in Dog Training

To be successful at dog or puppy training you need to do the right things. Here are seven ideas that will help you get the best results in the shortest possible time:

Always keep in mind that dog training should be fun – Without some pleasure and enjoyment, not only will your dog feel discouraged, but you will lose your motivation as well. When you are doing training exercise with your dog, include some fun and games. It will help you both stay on trac, and your dog will also associate pleasure with learning and good behavior.

In addition, you should aim to let your dog or puppy know when their behavior pleases you. Dogs are by nature pack animals. This means that they want to follow a pack leader. Knowing that they are pleasing you will make them feel happier and even more motivated.

Use both positive and negative reinforcement, but only at the right times – It is important that you use a combination of both of these types of behavior  reinforcements. However, make sure you use them appropriately or the dog will become confused.  Positive reinforcements are such things as praising the dog and giving the occasional treat.  Negative reinforcements, on the other hand, can include withholding treats or creating other discomforts for the dog (of course without being cruel).

Minimize distractions. It is very easy for a dog or puppy to get distracted while being trained. The best way to keep this to a minimum is to select an area for your training sessions that are away from as many distractions as possible. It could be an empty room or even an abandoned yard. Try to ensure there aren’t any ‘natural’ distractions as well, such as birds or other dogs.

Having such a place will reduce the distractions for you as well, all aiding in the training process.

Follow through with every task to completion. When you give a dog an instruction make sure that you do not stop until the dog completes the follow through. If you don’s, the dog will learn that it is ok to disobey your directions. You need to be firm and persistent. It may take a while but eventually the dog will realize that he will not get anywhere unless he obeys you.

Use firmness and kindness in all your training – IWhen giving a command, keep your voice at a low rather than a high pitch. Express yourself clearly and calmly. Don’t get stressed or angry with your dog; it will only upset and confuse them and slow down the results you get.

Also, don’t be cruel or use force. It will only make things worse. Remember, your dog or puppy really does want to please you. If it is not doing the right thing it will only be because it is thinking it is doing the best it can.

Make all your training sessions short – Dogs not only have short attention spans, but they also have relatively low ability to retain the information they learn. Your training will be more effective if you keep your dog training sessions short and frequent.  Focus on one command at a time in each session so that you condition the dog to respond. This is how they learn best.

Be patient – Much as we might like them to pick things up super quickly, it simply takes time for a dog to learn anything. Ironically, the faster we want them to learn the slower it will take as it will only create pressure.  Some people become frustrated when things don’t progress at the pace they would want them to. But be patient and don’t be discouraged. The rewards of a wonderfully trained dog that will give you great joy (as well as being the envy of your friends) are certainly worth the effort and wait.

Start training early. The sooner you start the easier it will be and the better the results. That is why it is ideal to begin the training when your pet it still a puppy. The best time to start the serious training is when the puppy is between six and eight weeks old. Like humans, as a dog gets older it will begin to develop habits that become difficult to change. So start early.

Apply the above and you should find your dog and puppy training to be much easier and more enjoyable. Have fun!

Tags: dog, Dog Training, how to train dog, how to train puppy, train dog, train puppy