Your canine wants to please you. The problem is, there is no way for him to know what behaviors you consider acceptable or unacceptable until you inform him. Essentially, he must be trained. This is the reason professional breeders strongly recommend enrolling dogs into obedience classes. There, they will learn how to behave in ways that please their owners.
A lot of people choose to train their pets at home rather than paying for professional classes. The right approach can be very successful. This article will share the "laws" of dog training that have proven effective for millions of other owners. With these guidelines, you'll be able to teach your pet how to be a more pleasant companion.
Start With The Basic Commands
The simpler your command, the more motivated your pet will be to respond. Save those that are more complex for later. Begin with the basics: sit, heel, stay, and come. Once he has mastered these commands both on and off his leash, move on to more difficult ones. For instance, teach him to "drop it," "go to your place," and "look at me."
Always Use Positive Reinforcement
Many owners assume they must either reward or punish their pets based on whether they respond correctly or incorrectly (respectively) to commands. Avoid punishing your canine. If he responds properly to your instructions, reward him with praise and a treat. If he fails to do so, withhold his reward. That alone is sufficient punishment, and will motivate him to succeed.
Make The Sessions Enjoyable
You want your canine to look forward to the training sessions. First, keep them under ten minutes; short sessions will help you retain his interest. Second, end each session by giving him a command he has already mastered. This gives you an opportunity to end by praising him and giving him a treat. Your pet will look forward to the next time he can earn both.
Practice With Distractions
Your dog may be able to easily respond to commands he knows well in the relative silence of your home. The environment might pose few distractions. After he has mastered certain commands, practice outside where people are walking and cars are passing. Doing so trains your pet to ignore things that are occurring around him, and instead focus on you. This skill may one day become valuable if you need to get his attention quickly.
Shorten Your Commands
Brevity is important since your canine can become easily confused with longer commands. Whenever possible, use single words. For example, tell him to "sit" rather than "sit down." Tell him to "stay" rather than "stay right there." The shorter, the better.
Train Him To Be Patient
Training your dog to "stay" for extended periods teaches him to control himself and remain patient. Begin by telling him to stay for ten seconds while you stand nearby. Once he has done so several times in a row, increase the time to twenty seconds, and stand a few feet away. Continue to do this until he can remain calmly in his spot for sixty seconds while you stand ten or fifteen feet away from him. Also, establish a word that releases him from his spot (e.g. "Done!") so he'll know when he has responded correctly.
Provide His Reward Quickly
Your dog must be able to recognize the reward he is receiving (e.g. a treat, praise, etc.) is due to a particular behavior. If you wait too long, he may fail to associate one with the other. Provide praise and treats within a second of his correct response. This helps ensure he'll connect his actions with the rewards, and respond correctly in the future.
Training your canine is essential to helping him become a better companion for you and your family. It's the only way he'll know how to please you. Even if you enroll him into professional obedience classes, take additional time to train him at home.
A lot of people choose to train their pets at home rather than paying for professional classes. The right approach can be very successful. This article will share the "laws" of dog training that have proven effective for millions of other owners. With these guidelines, you'll be able to teach your pet how to be a more pleasant companion.
Start With The Basic Commands
The simpler your command, the more motivated your pet will be to respond. Save those that are more complex for later. Begin with the basics: sit, heel, stay, and come. Once he has mastered these commands both on and off his leash, move on to more difficult ones. For instance, teach him to "drop it," "go to your place," and "look at me."
Always Use Positive Reinforcement
Many owners assume they must either reward or punish their pets based on whether they respond correctly or incorrectly (respectively) to commands. Avoid punishing your canine. If he responds properly to your instructions, reward him with praise and a treat. If he fails to do so, withhold his reward. That alone is sufficient punishment, and will motivate him to succeed.
Make The Sessions Enjoyable
You want your canine to look forward to the training sessions. First, keep them under ten minutes; short sessions will help you retain his interest. Second, end each session by giving him a command he has already mastered. This gives you an opportunity to end by praising him and giving him a treat. Your pet will look forward to the next time he can earn both.
Practice With Distractions
Your dog may be able to easily respond to commands he knows well in the relative silence of your home. The environment might pose few distractions. After he has mastered certain commands, practice outside where people are walking and cars are passing. Doing so trains your pet to ignore things that are occurring around him, and instead focus on you. This skill may one day become valuable if you need to get his attention quickly.
Shorten Your Commands
Brevity is important since your canine can become easily confused with longer commands. Whenever possible, use single words. For example, tell him to "sit" rather than "sit down." Tell him to "stay" rather than "stay right there." The shorter, the better.
Train Him To Be Patient
Training your dog to "stay" for extended periods teaches him to control himself and remain patient. Begin by telling him to stay for ten seconds while you stand nearby. Once he has done so several times in a row, increase the time to twenty seconds, and stand a few feet away. Continue to do this until he can remain calmly in his spot for sixty seconds while you stand ten or fifteen feet away from him. Also, establish a word that releases him from his spot (e.g. "Done!") so he'll know when he has responded correctly.
Provide His Reward Quickly
Your dog must be able to recognize the reward he is receiving (e.g. a treat, praise, etc.) is due to a particular behavior. If you wait too long, he may fail to associate one with the other. Provide praise and treats within a second of his correct response. This helps ensure he'll connect his actions with the rewards, and respond correctly in the future.
Training your canine is essential to helping him become a better companion for you and your family. It's the only way he'll know how to please you. Even if you enroll him into professional obedience classes, take additional time to train him at home.
0 comments:
Post a Comment