Dog Training Advice

Tap to Read ➤ Abhijit Naik

Training is an interesting task you need to undertake to instill some discipline and obedience in your pet dog and the tips that we have compiled here, are meant to help you with the same.

Dog training is a process in which you teach your pet dog to behave and obey commands, like 'sit', to make him sit, and 'go', to make him chase an intruder. Dogs can be trained to do various tasks, including guarding, rescue work, hunting, etc., but domestic dogs are most often trained to guard the house.

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. Their training includes a wide array of activities, ranging from responding to a door bell to alerting the owner in case of undesirable intrusion.

Train Them Young

The most important advice any individual specializing in the field of dog training can give you, is to train them while they are young.

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. Like kids, puppies are impressionable at young age. So, teaching them at this age will make sure that they learn fast and, more importantly, don't develop any bad habits.

Obedience Training is the Key

Obedience training ensures that your dog grows up to be well behaved and adjusts to any situation. Lack of obedience training in dogs can result in unnecessary aggressive behavior.

Although professional dog trainers can train your dog for you, it's ideal for you to do it yourself. It helps in building a good rapport between you and your pet. It is important to use obedience training commands in day-to-day life.

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. One of the most important aspect of dog training is timing. When the dog makes a mistake, make it a point to correct him at that very point. This will make the dog relate between the mistake and your attitude.

Once you realize that you have been successful in basic obedience training, you can go for more advanced training, like jumping over the fence or chasing an intruder.

Never Punish the Dog Physically

Avoid punishing the dog physically when he indulges in some undesired behavior. Studies reveal that harsh punishments induced on dogs end up making them more aggressive and live in constant fear, thus making it difficult for them to relate with their master.

You can use more lenient means, like not paying attention to them when they do some undesired act or completely ignoring them for some time after it. Dogs crave for attention and therefore, when you ignore them in order to punish them, they are able to relate the undesired act and punishment, and avoid repeating it.

You need to be very patient and avoid punishing them physically or shouting at them in course of training.

Leash Training Can be Required

Not many dogs like being leashed, but leashing makes it easier to train them as there is less distraction.

To make your dog get accustomed to leash, you should try to make him associate leash with some pleasant activity or thing. Placing the collar and leash on the dog while he is having food makes him associate leash with food.

Similarly, doing so while you take him out for a stroll makes him relate it to a pleasant outing. Once your dog gets accustomed, you can train him outdoors with the leash. Just make sure that you choose an area where there are less distractions.

Be Patient With Your Pets

Last, but one of the most important thing is to be patient with your dogs. Like humans, even dogs differ in behavior and grasping speed. Some pet dogs may learn in a week, while some may take a whole month or more. This is where your patience will come into picture.

If you want your dog to be well disciplined, you will have to inculcate some discipline and patience in yourself. Even if it takes a week or few months, you need to understand that your dog is taking one step towards perfection with each passing day. Being patient will surely yield good results in the end.

At times, you may have to use some specialized dog training equipment to train your dog. When training an aggressive dog, for instance, you can use a muzzle to cover its snout.

Of course using equipment can help, but training the dog by interacting or conversing with him is a hundred times better than training him using this sort of equipment, or handing him over to dog training professionals for that matter.