Your dog is your family and it’s okay to be stuck on figuring out friendly methods of training him or her. The following article will shed some light on some simple dog training tricks and tips that you can use to your benefit. Education is the key to success and educating yourself on how to train your pooch is the first step to take.
Pay attention to your tone when you are disciplining your dog. Dogs tend to be well in tune with how their trainers are feeling. An appropriately stern tone can reinforce discipline. However, if you let your frustration show when your dog takes a long time to get a command right, you may undermine the praise you’re giving. Excessive anger can decrease your dog’s trust in you.
To teach your dog not to chew inappropriately, be sure to provide him with plenty of appropriate things to chew. Make sure they are dog toys, not cast off human belongings. Whenever your dog begins to chew inappropriately, redirect him by giving him one of his own toys and take away the inappropriate item.
Prepare your dog early on for veterinary examinations. Gently pass your hands over his entire body, praising him when he responds well. Prepare him to be more tolerant with having his paws handled and his teeth looked at. Ask your friends to help out, as well. Your dog will become familiar with the process and be less nervous when going to the vet’s office.
Research to find out if your training path fits your dog’s specific breed. Certain breeds have a tough time with retaining new things quickly or are very stubborn, and may need more time. There are several dog breeds that need your patience when training, and basset hounds and bulldogs are just two such breeds.
When potty-training, remember that an enzymatic cleaner is your secret weapon. Dogs often will return to the same spot to urinate or defecate inside the house. That is because canine urine and feces has markers that let the dog know that this is the spot to do business. Using an enzymatic cleaner stops this smell at its source, and helps your training efforts that much more.
When you are potty training a young puppy, continue training even at night. A midnight potty run might not be convenient, but it can save your favorite rug. Puppies have very small bladders and need to eliminate often. Since they are not capable of holding it, those midnight potty runs are essential.
Use cheese as a treat when you are training your canine companion. Cheese is nice change of pace for your dog from packaged treats. Dogs typically love cheese and will consider it a fine treat. Do not overdo it though, cheese can have a high sodium content. Your dog could be sensitive to this.
Practice walking your dog over to a rug and asking him to sit whenever a doorbell rings. To do this, have a friend or family member ring the doorbell. Guide your dog by his leash to a rug or spot and have him sit. Praise him and offer a treat. Repeating this exercise will help him to remain calm and appear more polite when guests come over.
Puppy proof your house to prevent cherished possessions from becoming your puppy’s favorite chew toy. Remove items, such as shoes, from the area where you keep your puppy. Many pet stores sell a bitter tasting spray that you can use to keep your puppy from chewing on electrical cords. Remember that most puppies will grow out of this stage.
One tip to keep in mind when training your dog, is to be sure to never discipline your dog for bad behavior when he is ill. This will only confuse your dog and might cause him to not respond to discipline in the future. Examples of this would be, if your dog vomits or defecates in a manner that is not typical to his normal behavior.
Nutrition
Remember how many treats you reward your dog with during the course of the day to avoid fattening him up. Many people overlook treats when considering the animals diet but they will certainly add up, especially during active training. Carefully choose which treats to give him based on quality and nutrition and if you’re finding the dog gets a lot of treats you may want to consider praise as an alternative reward.
Your dog will need a diet high in nutrition to maintain his vitality and health. This means that you should be picky about what you feed your dog. Making your own dog food can help to reduce fillers that do nothing for your pet, while increasing the crude protein to a healthy and more beneficial level.
You are now taking the first step to become a successful dog trainer. Choosing to follow some of the advice and tips in this article, will not only make you a better trainer, but a better listener, who can understand the needs of your dog. Simple advice can go a long way.
