Training Your Dog

A better-behaved dog is everyone’s dream, and they can be taught by the professional trainers or at home. However, every owner cannot afford to opt for professional trainers as they are expensive at times. Training a dog is a long process and some skills are essential than others. Mastering these skills will make the training process more comfortable and will also build the basic or the foundation of the training strong and prepare the pet for perfect companionship and ethical behavior. A trained dog with basic commands is helpful to tackle problematic behaviors.

Training Tips

Mood and expectations

Owners will need to be patient as everyday will not be the same, and one needs to become favorable to support pet’s confidence and ability to learn. With a positive and enjoyable mood pet will learn gradually new things, but with a negative mood it will become afraid and learn to be cautious and develop distrust.

 Pet’s Disposition

Every pet has different nature, they are just like kids every breed is different and will learn everything at different time and rates. Though, few are stubborn and challenge their trainers at every turn while few are fast learners or have pleasing nature and can learn fast to please. Hence, one needs to adjust their training techniques according to the breed and their disposition to get satisfying results.

Rewards

They do not know long-term causes and its effects. Therefore, owners should praise them immediately to boost good behavior. If waited for too long the award will not be associated with the action trainer asked to perform. Additionally, one should make sure that the praise is accurate and fast enough for a particular behavior. Otherwise, one can also reward for wrong actions. E.g., if someone is teaching “come” command, it might follow for a little while, but by the time it gets reward it might do something else. In this case, it will understand that it is getting rewards for not following orders.

Be stable

If the atmosphere is not consistent, the pet will not understand what the owner wants. To train a single activity environment should be stable. For example, if the session is all about not jumping on people, the same should be followed by the members of the family too even after training sessions are over. Kids or other family members should not allow them to jump over them, this will give a bright idea what the trainer wants. A family member should use the exact terms that it learns during training hours. It does not speak any language and might not understand the difference between “come” and “come here.” Hence, using different commands will only confuse them and suppress the training procedure.

Small treats

Treats trigger learning process, little gifts can be given when it obeys given orders and follow simple tricks. Make sure the treats offered are tasty, small and easily chewable as one will not want to get them full quickly or disrupt the session. Little treats like small pieces of its favorite food item will be enough for praise, and at the same time, trainers won’t have to wait for long durations to continue.

Empty Stomach

Empty stomach training sessions will allow them to crave for treats and will quickly focus on the activity its master wants to perform. On the other hand, if it eats a large meal before training, it will hardly try to get treats and might not follow the commands or the tricks.

Positive session

Throughout the sessions, one needs to be positive, but one should also end the session on a positive note. If the class was not satisfying and it did not learn any new tricks and commands, try to finish it with a command or method which it had already learned and offered a treat as it will remember the praise and love. If completed on a negative note it can affect the next session adversely.

High-Value Treats

Treats like chicken breast chunks, slices of turkey meat, roasted chicken, pieces of the dried liver can be provided while teaching an important command or difficult command. After they have learned the new command offer them high-value treats, it will make eager to learn another to get served another treat.

Control Barking

If it barks, try to ignore until it stops then award with praise. They might yell to seek attention or they might due to frustration. Do not shout or misbehave as it assigns the pet with care. Additionally, do not throw off a toy or ball it will make them more loud and aggressive.

Clicker Training

It is the latest method to deliver praise immediately with a clicker. It allows to boost up the training speed by associating the click sound and the awards. Pet will automatically reward itself after a click sound for its good behavior. Reward the pet after clicking the device, it will create a positive connection with this sound in the long run. It will mark an activity as correct, and the pet will understand it did something right.

Command Training

Come

This command is most crucial for the pet as it keeps them not only safe but also saves them from dangerous situations. While training this command for the first time, trainers can show treats or rewards, when they start coming towards a direction, they can be rewarded with a treat. With time, one can increase the distance and allow them to walk a long distance and practice it again and again until it masters the command perfectly.

Stay

It is not only about to let them sit, but it is crucial like the command “come,” it can keep them safe from getting injured. Try to make this skill with duration, distance, and distraction. Start with a limited distance by placing it in a sitting position and hold a hand outward and use the word”stay.” If it follows award it, repeat this until it gets an idea that it will be rewarded if it sits down. After some sessions increase the distance and duration. Try to distract it and test its resolution.

Sit

It is useful in various situations, it is one of the first commands it learns. However, most of them sit on their own, and one needs to connect the command with its activity. It is one of the most available commands to teach. Trainers can hold a reward close to its nose and move it will its head to follow and sit. As soon as it is in a sitting position offer treat, repeat this method several times unless it has learned it thoroughly.

Down

Of all the commands it is the most difficult one to teach as the position is a submissive position. Trainers need to ease off and confident during this session. A piece of good smelling food can do the trick, hold to its snout, as soon as it starts sniffing, moves it through the floor, it will allow it to follow. Slide hand in front of the pet, it will let its body to follow its head. Once it is in the correct posture, say “down” and reward the pet. Repetitive sessions will allow it to learn and pick up the trick quickly but don’t try to push its body down, it might hurt the pet and confuse it.

Settle

This command is an excellent way for the fearful and anxious dogs. Like sitting, settling is also an activity which dogs do on their own and trains have to connect their behavior simply. To start with this, one needs to leash it up and step on the leash to provide a small place to sit and move. It might get excited and try to jump and perform different activities, but for some time to help it understand it cannot move or go anywhere. Once it settles down to offer a treat and repeat until it masters.

Leave It

It is an essential command to keep it safe from swallowing something harmful. It is a skill which takes enough time and consistency to master. Hence the trainer should make the process slow. To teach this command, trainers will need to show them a treat and place it under the shoe, it will try hard to get it, but as soon as it gives up and looks up offer a treat. It might again start sniffing around the shoe to get it, but repeat the same unless it picks up the trick. As soon as it masters this hidden treat, trainers can start with some other method with increased distractions and ask it leave.

It is advisable to go slow and do not try to rush these sessions, as every breed is not same and cannot pick up tricks easily. They need time to remember things, if it is seen that they are struggling with some command, start the session from the first step. However, these are few commands which can keep it safe and also improve communication between the pet and the master. Training sessions take time, and it is a slow process. Hence one should start when they are one the correct mindset.