Dog Training Tips Every Dog Owner Should Know

No matter if you have a puppy or an old dog, it makes good sense to invest a little bit of time training them. Even though there is an abundance of information available about how exactly to train your dog, you can't go wrong with dog training tips from the experts.

1. Positive reinforcement is a must. While there are numerous theories on the way to train your dog, the majority of dog training experts agree that positive reinforcement works best. Positive reinforcement involves rewarding your dog with verbal praise good dog, physical praise such as a pat on the head and food rewards. It doesnt involve yelling at your dog, hitting or punishing them.

Positive reinforcement works due to the fact it forms a bond of trust with your dog. Dogs are motivated by rewards especially food rewards.

2. Consistency is vital. If youre working with your dog on a specific skill or trick then try to train them at the same time every day. This helps your pet learn what to expect. Most dogs thrive on structure and will perform and learn much faster once they know what is expected. If you are training using food rewards, attempt to train your dog before mealtime so they are a little bit hungry and motivated.

3. Show patience. Dogs usually learn in waves. Sometimes they pick things up quickly and the following day it looks like you have to start again from the beginning. Be patient. Begin every new trick with really small steps and be very clear about what you expect. Even with the smallest tricks such as sit you will want to break it down into smaller steps.

4. Use hand cues along with verbal cues. A number of dogs have an easier time understanding and remembering hand signals than they do with verbal cues. Assign a hand signal to every trick or behavior you are training.

5. Train in small increments. Dogs have short attention spans. Attempting to train them for twenty or thirty minutes is not going to work. Theyre likely to get frustrated and lose focus. Instead, keep training sessions to a maximum of five minutes.

At first, you may want to train for only a minute or two until eventually your dog learns to look forward to training. Dogs can learn to dislike training. Keeping the training sessions short will help them learn to enjoy the process.

6. Always end on a positive note. Learning a brand new trick is hard work. Finish each training session, no matter how frustrating, on a positive note. Always give your dog a trick or behavior to perform that they have learned to perform and finish with a food reward and a lot of praise.

7. Keep your dog healthy. Last but not least, one of the most important dog training tips from the experts recommends feeding your dog a quality dog food, giving them sufficient fresh water and ensuring they get enough rest. A healthy dog is a happier dog and will learn desired behaviors far more quickly.