| By Fran Black
Repetition, consistency, practice and correction
are what it takes to train a dog to be happy and responsive.
If you follow these simple steps you will find that your
puppy can grow into an obedient well-adjusted dog.
Gentle training should begin the moment
you take your puppy home.
Repetition
It is amazingly important to be consistent and repetitious
with the training. Failure to be repetitious will prevent
the dog from remembering the lessons.
Always give the commands the same way, and
do it often until it has been learned and remembered.
Once a pup has mastered a command reinforce the command
by using it consistently and repetitiously.
Consistency
Use consistency in commands. Failure to be consistent
will prevent the dog from learning the appropriate cues.
Always use the same command when requesting a dog behave
in a certain way. Give the dog the command once, not twice
or three times. You do not need to repeat the command.
Give it once, and if the dog fails to obey then correct.
The dog should not optionally obey commands. If you give
your dog a command make sure they follow it, or correct
them immediately.
Use verbal cues to make the dog understand.
When correcting bad behavior, make sure the dog knows
you are unhappy with their behavior. Be loud and let the
anger be evident in your voice. When giving a command,
do it authoritatively. When praising your dog, let the
happiness come through.
Be consistent with your expectations. For
example when toilet training your puppy you should always
take him to the same spot in the garden so that he eventually
recognizes that this is the spot he should use to relieve
himself. He will also recognize that this "surface" is
an okay surface to soil. Consistently reward the puppy
when he sits but never reward him when he jumps up on
your legs. Otherwise your visitors will struggle every
time they come to visit.
Practice
Practice frequently, and in different places so that your
dog learns that commands always apply, regardless of location
or distractions. Practice, every day, several times a
day. Just like when you learn something, frequent practice
for short periods are much better than infrequent long
study sessions.
Correction
It is important to consistently correct bad behavior.
To stop any undesired behavior that the dog has learned
use your voice. One of the most crucial dog training tips
is to never use physical punishment and never reprimand
your dog for not performing correctly.
Submissive urination: Some pets will squat
and urinate as they are greeted by friends and family.
Never scold them for this. The problem is typically due
to nervousness or excitement, and scolding will make the
problem worse. If your puppy does this, instruct people
not to be overly excited and not to pet the puppy when
greeted. Also, do not bend over the puppy as this triggers
the puppy to signal submission to you by urinating. If
problems persist, you should consult your local animal
trainer or vet.
Always end training on a good note and Finish
the training with an obedient dog. This will make training
more fun for both you and your dog, and it will reinforce
that good behavior is rewarded.
In addition to training your puppy at home
consider enrolling in a local puppy obedience class. Puppy
School is an excellent inclusion to a training schedule.
It helps with initial training and will help socialize
new puppies.
About the Author
Francesca Black works in marketing for Dog Pound http://www.dog-pound.net
and Horse Stall http://www.horse-stall.net
leading portals for pet management.
 |
Dog Gifts