Training Man’s Best Friend is No Easy Task
As a dog owner, you want the best for your pup – like all do. From basic etiquette to more complicated tasks, training your furry friend is essential to their development and overall well-being. But without an expert’s advice at hand or a large purse full of cash, how can you make sure you are teaching them correctly?
Fortunately, there are quite a few easy tricks as well as simple tips that will help you train your pooch in no time! Read on to find out 10 helpful tips on training your beloved canine companion so both of you can be content in harmony.
- Use Positive Reinforcement
One of the many things most vets agree on, it’s training your dog using positive reinforcement techniques. Positive reinforcement rewards your pet for doing good behavior, instead of bad behavior. Whenever your dog shows good behavior and follows your commands, reward them with love and praise. This will make them associate good behavior with good things in their mind.
Remember not to reward your dog for any unwanted behavior they might do. In other words, don’t be happy at them whenever they bark at you to play with them or jump up and down just to say hello. You should either not acknowledge or not give in to their actions, as this will only reinforce the bad behavior, you’re trying to get rid of. Wait until they’ve calmed down before you can give them attention.
- Find the Right Reward
When it comes to rewarding dogs, the question is, what should you reward them with? Turns out, some dogs are motivated by food and will respond with excitement whenever they get any tasty treat as a reward. Other dogs are trickier as they have their preferred appetites: they would often eat soft, juicy meat instead of the usual hard and crunchy treats such as dog biscuits.
There is also another group of dogs that aren’t interested in edible rewards at all. If your dog is one of them, reward them with other things, such as playtime with a toy, or by giving them some well-deserved affection.
- Consistency is Key
When you train your dog, remember to be consistent in your training. Consistency requires repeating the same words and speaking the same tone of voice whenever you ask your dog to do something. Dogs need consistency to learn new habits because they’ll get confused about why you wouldn’t let them sit on the couch, but you’ll let a cat sit on it anyway.
- Train Little and Often
Have short training sessions with your dog, so that they wouldn’t get bored or frustrated with you. It’s been recommended to train the dogs for no more than 5 minutes in order to make the training effective.
Another thing you should do is train them often in different places and situations. For example, make sure your dog knows to follow the command of “sit’ whenever they’re at home or in public. That way, they’ll learn to follow your command at any time, at any place.
- Build Up in Stages
Breaking down your dog training into small parts can be really helpful when trying to teach them complex commands such as “stay”, or trying to modify their behavior. Start small by doing your training one step at a time so your dog will slowly learn.
- Make It Fun
Never make your dog feel that training is a burden. Make it a fun chore by always being positive and making things interesting. Interesting things include having short play sessions between training sessions.
- Praise the Small Things
Dogs are just like humans; they need the motivation to do something. Don’t get caught up in the end results of training; celebrate the little milestones that get them closer to doing something that you want them to do. This way, you can keep your dog’s motivation high and your motivation as well to change their behavior.
- Daily Training
Make your dog’s training a usual task every day, as you can fit in several small sessions. Try asking them to sit or follow your command before you reward them with anything, such as dinner, a walk outside, or playtime.
- Use Your Hands
The best way to train your dog is not through verbal commands, as they wouldn’t understand, but by hand signals. Many dogs understand hands better than mouth, so try using hand signals in combination with your verbal commands to make your dog respond better.
- Get a Dog Trainer
If you’re still struggling to get your dogs to follow you, it’s better to get a professional dog trainer to take the reins from you and teach your dog. Dog trainers have years of knowledge under their belt, making them perfectly capable of training your good boy and dealing with any problems that arise out of dogs’ behavior.
Conclusion
Training your dog doesn’t have to be an arduous task. Following the steps listed here and being consistent in your application of them are key to making sure that your furry friend is well-behaved and safe. Taking the time to invest in your four-legged family members can go a long way in ensuring that you both have many happy years together and many adventures to go on. If you’re unsure about any of these tips, or just need help with the beginning, it is always best to enlist the help of a professional, such as those available through Sirwiss. They will tailor-fit the training plan specifically for what you and your pup need so that all parties involved can benefit from the experience.
So don’t delay – start training your pup today with these helpful tips and take advantage of getting help through Sirwiss’ qualified professionals!