If you have never tried to train an animal, the idea may be rather intimidating. There is a lot of information out there and sorting through it all can seem difficult. The tips below can help you start training your dog properly.
Big dogs who like to lie on their back or stretch out need a large sized bed. Think about getting your dog an actual dog bed that fits its larger size; crib mattresses work great, too. You can buy several crib sheets, and change the cover of the mattress as often as you would like. They also have the added benefit of being waterproof!
Fear is the number one cause of a dog biting. When a dog feel threatened, scared or trapped, it may bite. Force should never be used when training your dog. This could have the unfortunate effect of causing your dog to bite you. Your dog will feel proud and want to please you as his leader.
If you are working on crate training your indoor puppy or dog, you can always try a few tricks. If they don't want to go in the crate, try luring them in with a treat or chew bone. Your dog will want the bone and will be unable to resist entering the crate. Give your dog some praise when he gets inside, so that he further associates being in the crate with good behavior.
When training your puppy, avoid tug-of-war type games. These, along with chasing and wresting, can encourage them to bite your hands. There is no way that you want them to exhibit that type of behavior. When they are older you will be able to play those games with them without causing them to act out when not playing the game.
When a new person comes into your house, tell them exactly how they should approach your dog. This type of behavior can lead to your dog misbehaving by jumping on people or your dog attempting to establish dominance.
While training your puppy or dog to use a crate, introduce him to new concepts slowly and gradually, so he is able to adjust to the changes without feeling stressed. When they are comfy with the open door, try closing it and feeding them treats via the wires. Start off with small periods, for example 10 seconds or so, and gradually increase crate time. If they get upset, it's too fast.
Keeping your dog mentally stimulated is a major part of ensuring that it is both healthy and happy. Frequent outside walks, chew toys and even healthy snacks offer great options for entertaining your dog. Bored dogs will often turn to chewing furniture, shoes or even drywall, to amuse themselves if they are not given proper stimulation.
Everyone should treat your dog in the same way so as not to confuse him. Dogs will learn quicker from training that has all people treating them the same way. If someone is training the dog one way and someone else tries something different, the dog will become confused on how to behave properly.
Treats are great rewards, but you need to find other positive reinforcements for training. Dogs are eager to please and respond well to positive reinforcement tactics. Still, you probably don't have treats everywhere you go when you aren't "officially" training your dog. Start using praise and extra attention, hugging and patting, when your dog displays a positive behavior.
When it comes to training a puppy, it is not a good idea to provide too much information and training at one time. A puppy's attention span is short and it has a limited amount of energy, so sessions should remain short and positive. If you try to do too much too fast, he will associated it as a negative experience and will resist in the future.
Walking on a leash is a big step in your dog's training. This helps keep both you and your dog safe when going on walks.
Try training a dog to clench a plush toy in his mouth. Every time he successfully holds onto the toy with his mouth, hit the clicker and proceed by giving him a treat. After this is done a few times, watch and wait for your dog to put the toy inside his mouth. After has has done this, you should click and promptly give a reward. After this, you should only reward your dog after he holds the toy in his mouth.
Many times dog owners are surprised to see they can easily train their dog on an everyday basis and promptly see the results. If you are feeling some tension and stress with your canine friend, give these helpful hints a chance.
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