Training your dog can be time-consuming, but it is worth all the effort and time. Upon completion of training, your dog will become your best companion and friend. Training strengthens the bond between you and your pet and only gets stronger over time.
Dogs are intelligent animals, so if you’re concerned they won’t understand you, don’t be. It will take some effort and time to train your dog, but once you’ve mastered communication, you’ll have a much easier time getting along with them.
Beginners should follow these nine basic steps when training their dogs:
1. Sign up for training classes
You will get more out of training if you put more time and effort into it. It may be a good idea to hire a private trainer or to enroll in a training class if this is your first dog.
Puppy kindergarten is usually the first step for puppies. Once your puppy is old enough, you can begin obedience training.
Each class should consist of eight to ten (trainer and dog) teams. This will allow you to devote sufficient time and attention to training.
The class will teach your pups basic lessons, like sit, go, play, and walk (with a leash). Furthermore, since it will be a group class, you will benefit from learning from others’ experiences.
2. Don’t get frustrated during home-training
If you are planning on home-training your pup, you must be patient. Repeating instructions in the beginning, is part of the training process. You might have to deal with dog poops in or around the house. Instead of getting frustrated, simply call a dog poop scooping company to take care of the feces lying around.
Remember, never become angry with your puppy if their training frustrates you. It is very common for dogs to become nervous if their trainers are yelling at them. They may howl, pant, or cower in a corner. The best thing to do is to end the session quietly and try again later in the day.
You may scare them off from following directions if you become aggressive while training. Stay calm and relaxed to ensure a positive learning environment for your puppy.
3. Be as positive as you can
When you make it fun for your dog, it will respond more positively. According to animal behaviorists, harsh corrections are inhumane and ineffective in the long run, even if they work once or twice. It will be difficult for your dog to understand why you are angry with it.
According to a study by Elsevier, dogs trained using confrontational, aggressive, or harsh training methods – like staring, yelling, or hitting – exhibited aggressive behavior. On the other hand, using non-punitive techniques, such as exercise or rewards, proved to be effective at minimizing aggressive behavior.
The next time your dog performs good behavior, you will reinforce it with positive reinforcement. Your dog may respond to food, toys, and petting as a reward. It will motivate them to put forth their best effort if they expect a reward for it.
4. Keep training sessions brief
Several days after your dog has settled into the household, start teaching it good manners. Keeping your training sessions short-ten to fifteen minutes at a time will help you achieve your training goals.
Later on the same day, you can repeat the session, making each session brief the second time around. You should plan to train your puppy several times a day since no puppy learns everything in one go.
5. Use small treats
Rewarding your pups with occasional treats can motivate them for training. The treats you can use should be soft and sized for puppies, string cheese, or small pieces of cut-up hot dogs that he can immediately swallow. You should avoid hard, crunchy treats since they are difficult to chew. When your puppy performs the desired behavior, reward him immediately with treats. Your puppy is more likely to understand what you’re trying to teach him if you confirm the behavior you want as soon as possible. It is important to follow the reward with phrases such as, “Good boy!”
Do not give treats to your puppy because it looks cute during a training session. Seeing a reward will motivate them to do better than if they didn’t earn it. Be patient if it doesn’t behave the way you like. You can simply refuse to give the reward.
6. Schedule training before meals
It is best to schedule your dog’s lessons before they eat their meal. As a result, they may take more notice of the instructions, allowing him to earn a tasty bite.
7. Choose a training time with no distractions
Select an appropriate time for training so that you won’t be interrupted and won’t feel rushed. Try and avoid picking up the phone and answering doorbells while training. By doing this, you can devote quality time to the training process.
During the first few sessions, choose a room that’s large enough for you to move around. Take your training lessons outside when your dog can understand what you want it to do. If you are in an unfenced area, keep them on a leash. Dogs will be distracted by noises, squirrels, and the smell of freshly mowed grass, so you need to be more interesting than these distractions.
8. Don’t train when puppy’s not in the mood
Puppy training should not be conducted when your dog is hot, tired, or engaged in intense play. You want them to be focused, motivated, and eager to learn to make training sessions more effective.
Conclusion
If this is your first dog, it can be pretty overwhelming at first to train it, especially if you haven’t trained one before. Dog training is quite a big project requiring a lot of time, energy, and patience. You will find the task much more manageable if you take the task step by step. The information in this blog can help you get started on the right foot!
