Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Need To Train Your Dog - 9 No Fail Tips On Dog Training

By Chris Station

There is not a dog owner alive who doesn't want a well-behaved dog. But having a well-behaved dog doesn't just happen. You have to train your pet to achieve this. For dog training to be successful, there is some basic information you should probably be aware of before you even start. Here are 9 of the most important tips on dog training.

1. Start informal training just as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Routines are crucial and establishing them right away helps to head off problems later. For example, if you don't want your dog to get up on your couch, get down on the floor with him. Never bring him up on the couch to sit on your lap. Doing that teaches him that he can be on the couch. This is a really hard difficult habit to break because the couch is ever so comfortable.

2. Your dog needs to learn who is in charge and of course that should be you. But it's also important to be fair in your treatment. Don't have expectations that your pet is not ready for. But once he's taught, expect him to obey. For example, don't toss him scraps from the supper table one day and then scold him when he begs for food another time.

3. One of the first things to do is to get your puppy to accept a collar and lead as soon as you bring him home. You will have much more control when he is trained to accept a collar and lead.

4. Training should be enjoyable for both you and your pet. One way to make that happen is to reward him for any accomplishments, small or large. Rewards don't have to be food. They can be something like a pat on the head, or praise. You'll find that he works much harder if he knows he is going to get a reward for a good effort. Use this strategy to accomplish a lot in a short time.

5. You need lots of patience if you are going to be able to successfully train your dog. Progress will be slow, with lots of repetition needed before the behavior will be truly learned. And remember to reward each success as it occurs to reinforce the behavior you are targeting.

6. At times, you will have to discipline your dog. There are two important points when it comes to discipline. First of all, don't order your dog to come when you are planning to discipline him. Only use "come" for positives in training. Instead go to him. Secondly, don't hit your dog. If you hit as a form of discipline, he will only learn to be afraid of you, not what you're trying to teach him.

7. Whenever you start a new training session, quickly review some of the behaviors your pet has already mastered. Like always, reward him and then move on to something new. Never make the training session too long. If you see that your pet is getting tired or losing interest, end the session. Have him carry out a simple command to finish, give him his reward, and then spend a few minutes just having fun with him.

8. Teach basic commands first. Commands such as sit, stay, down, and come are integral to success when you start on more involved dog training. Be sure he's mastered all of these commands before trying to teach him more complex commands.

9. Only reward if a command is executed correctly. That way you are being consistent. If he knows he's going to get a reward whether or not he follows directions, he won't learn the lesson.

By following these tips on dog training you will be successful at training your dog. And isn't a well-behaved dog a lot more rewarding to have around.

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