1. Start Training Early- Six to eight weeks is the best time to begin training, this can vary a little depending on the breed. It is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks though.
2. Stay Patient- This is one of the most important aspects of training your dog or puppy. If you are getting frustrated after only a minute or two of working with your dog, you should stop and try again later when you will have more patience. Dogs can tell when you are upset or angry and will tend to learn to be afraid of you instead of learning anything useful. Also, keep in mind this is supposed to be a fun bonding time!
3. Positive, Positive, Positive- Using positive reinforcement during your dog and puppy training is the way to go. Do this by giving praise and treats when your dog does something good. In the beginning use both treats and praise to reinforce positive behavior; later on you don't need to rely so much on treats as in the beginning. Always remember that you should reinforce positive behavior, never let it go without reward.
4. Tone of Voice- There are two different tones to use when training your dog. The first is the high pitched, soft, and sweet tone generally used when your dog has done something good. The second is the deeper and firm tone of voice that is used when your dog has done something bad, but this tone is also used for commands. Using the correct tones in relation to what you are trying to teach your dog is extremely important. For an example of how important tones can be try telling your dog he or she has done something bad in the "good' tone of voice, and also try to congratulate your dog using the "bad" tone. Usually your tone will be the first thing your dog will respond to regardless of what you are saying.
5. Setting- When training you should find an area that is as free as possible from distractions. A quiet room is ideal. When there are other animals or people around that your dog wants to play with he or she is not going to focus on what you are trying to teach. If you don't believe me try taking your dog to the dog park and try to teach your dog some new command. Do both you and your dog a favor and free both of you from distractions.
6. Time Frame- Training should only last around fifteen minutes for simple commands. Stick to one command during each session. If your dog has successfully completed a command several times praise him or her and also use treats as you feel necessary to positively reinforce the commands. After training take some time to play with your dog so that he or she will see training as a positive and fun activity, and remember that this is supposed to be fun for you also.
| Scott Wolf is a free lance writer, entrepreneur, and grad student. For more information on dog training or dog care read his blog at http://dogslifecaretrainandloveyourdog.blogspot.com/ |
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment