Chapter 5. Controlling your dog – the basics of Training
Controlling your dog - the basics of Training
Proper training of your dog should begin when he is a puppy. The first four months of a dog's life are very important in the training of your dog. This is when they learn behaviors that they will practice in the future. You'll want to train your dog basic commands such as sit, stay, down, off, come, and no bark. Obedience training is one of the best things you can do for your dog or puppy and yourself. Obedience training doesn't solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Also, training opens up a line of communication between you and your dog and effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want him to do. Dogs are social animals but without proper training, they will behave like animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, dig holes in your yard, fight other dogs, and might even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal canine activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. For example, the dog will eliminate on the carpet instead of outside; the dog will bark all night long instead of just when a stranger is prowling around outside; or the dog will chew furniture instead of his own toys. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect his natural behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting. Obedience training is also an easy way to establish the social
hierarchy. When your dog obeys a simple request of 'come here, sit,'
he is showing compliance and respect for you. You can teach your
dog his subordinate role by teaching him to show submission to you
in a paw raise (shake hands), roll over or hand lick (give a kiss).
Most dogs love Obedience training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained one. A trained dog will come when called. Many people wonder if it is possible to train puppies or possible to teach an old dog new tricks. Whatever the age of your dog, the right time to begin training is right now! You might want to enroll in a local dog obedience training class to learn the basics. Then most teaching and training can and should be done in your home. It is best to begin training in an area that is familiar to your dog and with the least amount of distractions as possible. When you feel both you and your dog are skilled at several obedience commands, then take these commands to different areas. If you want your dog to be obedient in your car, you'll want to train him in your car. Practice while the car is parked or while someone else is driving. Keep the obedience training sessions short and sweet. It is dull and boring to schedule tedious and lengthy training sessions. Instead, integrate training into your daily routine. Make obedience training interesting and meaningful to your dog. Be sure that obedience training infiltrates your dog's favorite activities and that your dog's favorite activities infiltrates training. Your dog's favorite activities should become training, so that training becomes the dog's favorite activity. The single most important aspect of training is rewarding your dog for good behavior. The more times the dog is rewarded, the quicker he will learn. Therefore, it's essential that you set up situations repeatedly in order for your dog to get plenty of practice at doing the right thing. It's equally as important that you always praise your dog for good behavior instead of taking it for granted. It's easy to forget to praise good behavior because it goes unnoticed. But the very nature of misbehavior gets our attention. We don't notice when our dog is lying quietly, but excessive barking gets our attention. Take notice and praise him when he is chewing his own toys. Praise and reward are the most important part of maintaining good behavior and preventing problems from arising. Some dogs feel they are constantly yelled at with, "No, Stop that, Get off, Bad dog!" They tend to get used to it and so the reprimands become meaningless and are ignored. If most of our interaction with the dog is praise for good behavior, then reprimands will take on much more meaning. Whenever you find the need to reprimand your dog, immediately show him what you want him to do, and then reward him for getting it right. If you catch him chewing the furniture, tell him, "Off!"
Then immediately direct him to his own toys, enthusiastically entice
him to chew on them and praise him for doing so. Also, you'll never hit, kick, slap, or spank your dog. This type of inappropriate punishment always creates more problems and usually makes existing problems worse. Not only will you have a barking, chewing dog, but one that is leery, hand-shy, fearful or aggressive. Include your dog in family outings, games, and general family life. Reward good behavior and yet do not spoil your dog. If you practice lots of patience, love and respect for your dog, you will receive the same from him. Tips on Training - Don't train when you are in a bad mood. Enjoy your dog and remember to keep a sense of humor! Housetraining Dogs are instinctively clean animals and will learn quickly with the proper tools and instructions. - Establish a routine. Feed your pup at regular scheduled times, preferably 3 times daily. Most puppies will want to relieve themselves right after eating. Do not allow access to food all day long. - Go outside with your pup so you can praise him for going potty. Take him out first thing in the morning, after each meal, after napping, after play, and right before bedtime. - Choose 1 or 2 potty areas that your dog can associate with going potty. When he eliminates, lavishly praise his success so he associates outside potty time with praise. - Keep your eyes on your pup while he's inside the house. If you catch him in the act, shout "NO!" to startle him. Then immediately take him out and if he finishes outside, then praise him again while you are outside. - When you are unable to watch your puppy, he should be confined, preferably in his crate. This helps build bladder and bowel control - although you still need to let him out every couple hours to eliminate. - Expect accidents. It will take some time for your dog or pup to learn - remember puppies cannot be expected to control their bladder for more than a couple hours. - Do not punish accidents. Punishing only makes matters worse because your dog won't understand what he did wrong.
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