Training Your Dog

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     When you first bring your new puppy home the first thing you are going to need to do is begin training him so that you can have a dog who is well behaved and fits in with your family. Too many times people bring home a new puppy and because he is cute they allow him to act in ways that while cute now will later bring havoc into your life.

Dogs are highly intelligent animals and they are capable of learning. However they do need to be told and shown what is expected of them and what behavior is acceptable and what behaviors are not. Dogs by nature want to please their owners and behave in a manner that they think will please them. So in order to get them to do things that you would want them to do you will have to be patient and teach them everything slowly and with patience. Like a small child dogs need lessons repeated over and over. But with perseverance they will learn and learn very quickly in most cases.

A puppy is like an empty page with instincts of feeding and getting rid of body waste. He also needs love and wants attention. It is going to be up to you to teach him where he can go to the bathroom, where he can get his next feed, when he can expect your attention. He may try and bark or chew on things to get your attention or he may do things that you would not want him to do. The way you are going to be able to train him to do what you want is by ignoring his attention getting actions and by being positive and rewarding him with kind words or treats when he does things that you want him to do. This will show him that obeying you gets him attention and love which is what he was looking for in the first place.

You want your dog to be able to trust you and not fear you. It will be easier for you to train your dog to doing what you want him to do by treating him with firm kindness. Shouting at him or beating him or getting him scared of you may at times get him to do what you want but it will not teach him what you expect out of him. Dogs in that respect are very much like humans they respond when they are treated with respect and encouraged.

Just remember that a well trained dog is not just a joy to your but to everyone who comes in contact with him. Having a well mannered and well socialized dog will allow you to take your dog more places and do more things with him. Having a dog who can truly be a companion is a lot of hard work and will take a lot of commitment on your part but, in the end you will truly have man's best friend at your side.