Training a dog to be obedient

 

Dogs are usually not capable of understanding our scale of values and our conduct though they are very skilled at interpreting our gestures, learning keywords, and preventing our reactions.

 

Punishing dogs for acting like dogs does not make much sense.

 

We can avoid inappropriate conduct with our dogs by properly training them to be obedient. How obedient you want a dog to be varies from owner to owner but all dogs should receive some training in obedience.

 

A dog likes to run to the door and greet guests by jumping on them. Dogs like to jump on furniture. Jumping on the furniture can make the furniture dirty, but of more importance, dogs that jump on furniture will jump on it when a guest is sitting there. Dogs like to jump on beds which also become dirty.

 

The dog owner must decide what actions a dog will be allowed to do and what he will be forbidden to do. He must learn the "rules of the house."

 

As you train your dog, avoid physical punishment other than perhaps jerking him on his lease when he does something you do not want him to do.

 

Physical punishment is almost always negative. Smacks and hits can bring very bad consequences in future dog behavior and take much of the joy out of owning a dog. Ignoring them is far better than hitting them.

 

Mistreated dogs often show themselves as aggressive. Thankfully, few dog owners resort to physical punishment because they know it will make the conduct worse.

 

Remember, dogs don't understand our language. They get the idea of what we want most often from our voice pitch.  Shouting sometimes results in a dog interpreting that as an invitation to bark.

 

Dogs need to be trained early. As soon as they begin to grow into the puppy stage, their obedience training must begin.

 

Certain dogs tend to be leaders and the owner must teach them early "who is the boss." Give them an inch and they will take a mile. Some require more attention than others, but this is certain….if you want a well-mannered dog you must devote a great deal of your time training him.

 

Dog Discipline Recommendations:

 

(1) You must begin training as early as possible. A puppy is ideal for training. If you bring home an older dog, training must begin immediately.

 

(2) Read books on training and teach yourself to train your dog. There is so much material available today on the internet where  you can get good ideas on how to discipline your dog.

 

(3) Dogs must learn early what the "rules of the house" will be.

(4) Try to catch your dog while he's still merely thinking about doing something wrong. Issue a low "NO" and follow up with a warning message to the dog like "Leave it!"

(5) Be sure to give verbal praise when he responds correctly. Learn to project your voice in a clear, confident tone when making corrections.

(6) The best way to correct him is to catch him in the act. If he makes a housebreaking mistake, avoid scolding, just take him outside and praise him when he does his business in the right place. Scolding him after the act is virtually useless since the dog rarely makes the connection between the act and the punishment.

(7) Keep discipline and training consistent. Dogs learn from repetition and knowing what your expectations are. Whether giving positive reinforcement or correction, don't change the methods or rules. You will only confuse him.

(8) Block out time for your dog's training when you can give him your undivided attention. Dogs love attention and will learn from it.

 

(9) Keep your training sessions short. Instead, increase the number of training sessions a day. 

 

(10) Consider enrolling your dog in obedience school. A good trainer can teach you how to train your dog. Many of the national stores like PetSmart and others have obedience classes.

 

In conclusion, decide early how much discipline you want your dog to have and then give him enough of your time to help him learn this discipline.

 

Good luck!