How Your Dogs Obedience Training Can Help Him Develop Essential Skills

You may find that training your dog to be obedient is a long and frustrating process. All you want him to do is listen when you call him and yell at him, sounds like it should be simple.

When looking for a dog or puppy, you no doubt put a lot of time and effort into picking out the perfect "dream" companion. After you have been together for awhile you spoil him with as much love, affection, and attention you can give him. But after awhile, after you've tried everything you could think of, you find that your "perfect" dog still isn't trained and is starting do things that annoy you.

You realize that you need to do something about your dogs obedience training.

A dogs obedience training includes the process of teaching a dog to exhibit certain desired behaviors in specific circumstances. Some of these circumstances include:

* Training in dog basic obedience commands (part of the dogs obedience training)

* Guide dog training for the blind

* Rescue dog training to help locates victims in a disaster situation

* Training for hunting dogs so they can learn to perform instinctive behaviors at appropriate times

The specific behaviors taught in each circumstance are different, but they each use similar underlying principles.

For your dogs obedience training the goal is to establish the correct relationship right from the start. When you first bring your puppy home, he has gone from an environment of a natural pack order with his brothers & sisters and his mother, and some contact with the breeder. When the puppy sees that there are no other dogs around he might start to think he is in charge now. You will need to start establishing to the puppy that you are in charge not him.

Puppies are fine with that because in the wild as pack animals, dogs have the natural instincts that cause them to accept training. Dogs are by nature either leaders or followers and you must instill in your dog that you are the leader of the pack.

The Basics of Your Dogs Obedience Training

This starts with basic obedience commands, and these commands are the key to having a good relationship with your dog. This stage of the dogs obedience training should be gentle and supportive, without punishment. At this point they should be starting to learn the simple commands like "come", and being sure to use praise quite a bit when the dog responds correctly to the command.

Teaching More Complex Concepts

When your dog has mastered the more basic commands, start to introduce more complex concepts (like "stay" or "sit"), and that you break down the task into smaller, easier exercises first. For instance you should first teach the dog how to sit properly, before you ask him to respond to the command.

Consistency in dog training is important along with positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is must be done immediately during or after your puppy has followed the given commands, or there is a chance that he could associate the praise with something else besides the intended action.

As you are beginning your dogs obedience training remember that timing and consistency are key when training with your young puppy. Every day you should be planning, when and how to work on these essential skills with your dog, and then try to perform them at the same time every day.

The training sessions should be fun, and should even include games, praise, and hugging. Ideally your dog should be able to look forward to each session, as he would his daily exercise.

J. Mahoney is the owner of Dog Trainers Ideas.com. Just feel free to visit www.dogtrainersideas.com where you will find a resource providing you with advice on all aspects of dog training, house training and dog health.

If you want to find more info on Dogs Obedience Training Click Here!