Check Out This Helpful Advice For Training Your Dog
It is okay to be stuck on ideas on how to train your dog. It doesn't happen overnight and there are plenty of bumps on the road. Overcome your fears and anxieties by educating yourself on how to be victorious in training your dog. The article below will provide you with a few ideas that are sure to lead you to an obedient canine.
When your puppy is 7 to 12 weeks old this is known as the "fear-imprint period'. If your puppy experiences trauma at this time, he may have the fear associated with this trauma for the rest of his life. Because of this, your puppy's early weeks should include human contact, and contact with other animals. It should also be a positive experience for him, with little punishing, if any at all.
Enforce all of the commands you issue to your dog. Do no issue a command on a whim. Only give a command to your dog if you truly mean it. This can lead to having to repeat your commands. A well-trained dog should only need to be told once to do something.
Dogs are creatures of habit. If you customarily take them out for their walk at the same time every night, they will grow to expect that walk, even to depend on it. Missing the scheduled date by even just a few minutes can result in an accident for the younger dog and even for the older one.
To teach your dog to mush, you should start by introducing him or her to common mushing terms before you have them pull weight. Start by taking your dog for a walk and saying "Gee" when turning right and "Haw" when turning left. Make sure to praise and reward your dog for turning with you in the right direction. Eventually, your dog will learn the commands and be able to move in the right direction without your physical guidance. Simple directions are essential for mushing dogs to know because it can prevent lead tangles and confusion when pulling an actual sled.
Set goals for training your dog. Decide what time of day you will work with your dog and how long you will work. Decide exactly what you want to work on, and be consistent. Work on the same things, in the same way, at the same time every day until mastered. Once you have accomplished one goal, build on it by adding something new. Don't skip around or be inconsistent. This is confusing for your dog.
One big mistake dog owners make is failing to practice your dog's skills. The phrase, "if you don't use it, you'll lose it" rings true for dogs, too. Your dog should be challenged regularly. Give him "quizzes" to make sure he still knows his stuff, even if you both know he does.
Do not respond to demands for attention from your dog. Training a dog to be docile and controlled, means that you control when attention is given. In the pack, Alphas will ignore these behaviors until the dog is calm and relaxed. Then and only then, should you build excitement through play with the animal.
Keep your dog up to date with dog training in order to keep him or her compliant with an established set of rules. Many times owners feel that since their animals have gone through dog training they can just forget about it. However, pets like humans share similar habit systems. That is why it is vital to ensure your dog maintains a strict rule system.
If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, an easy way to train them out of it is to avoid giving them attention immediately before and after you leave. It may seem mean to the dog if you don't say goodbye before you leave, but those long goodbye cuddles just give the dog a chance to get worked up.
A good dog training tip is to start training your dog while it's young. Younger dogs are more impressionable, and far more responsive to training than older dogs. Older dogs tend to be stubborn because they already have experience and behaviors that they've become used to for a while.
Use food as a reward when training your dog. Many dogs will respond on a basic level to edibles. The reward of food will usually encourage them to continue on a food winning path. Vary the types of treats you get for your dog. Alternate fresh meat with packaged treats.
You must enforce any command you give when training your dog. Giving a command that you are not confident in or not willing to follow through with diminishes your role as leader. Do not ask, beg or scream. Give firm commands in a dominant tone and expect the dog to give the appropriate behavior. Your dog will see you as a true leader when you follow through.
Keep your mind open and be willing to take advice. The change you strive to achieve in your dog requires time. Don't let unsuccessful attempts dampen your outlook on training. Instead, try some of the tips from this article next time you make an attempt to train your canine friend.