Any responsible dog owner will always be on the lookout for dog training tips that will help improve their dog’s behavior and the amount of control they (the owner) will have over it. There will be a lot of well meaning tips that you will read online, so it can also get a bit overwhelming for some people.
The best thing to do is to know where is the best place to start – and this is by having a good understanding of what it is that your dog actually needs to learn in training situations and how you can provide for those needs.
One thing that needs to be clear before any training can commence is that some people might mistakenly think of a dog being a lot smarter than it is. The reality though is that a dog will only react to you. It has an innate desire to belong in a pack and wants you to accept it, all the while still demonstrating its basic animal instinct hard-wired into its brain.
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So if you are looking to address any negative behavior it might have, your best way of approaching the matter is to focus on how they can change the way these instincts are expressed (instead of just scolding them or yelling at them in the hopes of stopping the undesirable behavior).
The Heart of Dog Training Tips
There are some basic concepts that all dog owners have to be familiar with when it comes to training their dogs. These training tasks, when implemented properly and with much success, will make the entire training program a whole lot easier to carry out. So, it is important that these four “core” training principles are what you will prioritize over other aspects of dog training.
You might find that you will make most of your investments in seeing these tasks through to completion, but doing so will mean much of your work will already be done and it will be so much easier to transition to other tasks and even some dog tricks later on.
1. Crate Training
A very basic yet all-important concept in dog training, crate training is a way to provide your dog with its own home. When undergoing crate training, emphasize on how the crate is a safe place for the dog. It should never be used as a punishment for when a dog is being disobedient.
When doing crate training, spend as much time as you can at home while your dog is inside the crate so it will get used to it much faster.
If you research crate training tips online, you will notice that one thing they all say is that crate training is the foundation for house breaking a dog, as well as reducing its propensity to bark and smoothens over any anxiety issues it may have far better than other dog training techniques.
2. Leash Training
If you are having some difficulty getting your dog to behave properly when leashed, then it is imperative that you undergo leash training for it. Leash training will allow the dog to reach a calm and controlled state, putting them in a better position to listen and carefully respond to your commands – all the while resisting the urge to become overly excited about being outside for a walk.
Most dogs that have issues with being leashed are usually given leeway to run around and pull their master along. Instead of allowing your dog to do that to you, have sit by your side and just wait until you give it the command to resume the walk.
The reason for this is that they will learn to associate the pulling action that they do with the walk being stopped, so they will refrain from doing this again.
3. Alpha Position
In any type of dog training style, one important thing that they have in common will have to do with the position that you, the dog owner, holds in your house. Again, dog training is not all about the dog’s effort – it also largely has to do with your own efforts at being understood by the dog for it to carry out your commands.
On its own, a dog will have no idea about what you want and will have no way of understanding what you say to it. Thus, the responsibility of making your dog understand will fall on you, being that you are the “leader” of the “pack” – the alpha over the dog.
Once you emphasize this to your dog and it accepts that you are its leader, then you will have more control over the situation. In turn, your dog will be able to relax and simply trust in following your commands. It can now rest easy with the knowledge that there is someone who will protect it.
4. Obedience Training
If you have the funds for it, go for a dog obedience class. This is where some of the best training tips are implemented, and you can learn about the smartest ways of maintaining your alpha leadership position at home, displaying control over the pup, and being successful at giving them strong and specific commands.
If you recently acquired a new puppy in the house or you have some trouble maintaining control over an older dog, an obedience class can be a good supplement to the home training that you are already doing.
Consistency is Key
Again, there will be many dog training tips that you will encounter in your readings and research on how to make your dog a better behaved one, but the trick to all of them is to maintain a form of consistency in terms of actions and the environment.
If you are going to be sporadic about it (such as only making them practice the sitting commands when you feel like it, for example), then it will just confuse them and even make them more excited to the point where they completely fail to follow your commands.
Set rules, be consistent about them, and implement the same strategies with everyone who interacts with your dog and you will soon reap the rewards of your efforts!
Do you want your dog to be calm and listen to you all the time? CLICK HERE to watch this FREE Step-by-Step Video from Doggy Dan’s Program!
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