Train Your Dog - 10 No Fail Tips On Dog Training

By Chris Station

If you have ever owned a dog, you know how frustrating it can be when your dog has a mind of his own. A well behaved dog on the other hand is a joy to have around. The way to get a well behaved dog is through training. It's not hard to train a dog but there are some basics that you need to know about in order to succeed. Keep reading to find out what the top 10 no fail tips on dog training are.

1. Start as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Establishing routines right away avoids problems later. For instance, if you don't want your dog to climb on the couch, sit on the floor with him. Don't bring him up on the couch with you. If you do, you are teaching him that he is allowed on the couch. This is a difficult habit to break.

2. Be firm, but fair and consistent. If you change the rules you will only frustrate and confuse your dog. So, if you don't want your dog to beg food from the table, don't ever feed him treats while you are eating.

3. One of the very first things you should do is to get your new puppy used to a collar and lead as soon as you bring him home. You have so much more control when a dog is trained to accept a collar and lead.

4. Training your dog should be fun for both of you. Celebrate his accomplishments by rewarding him. Rewards can be everything from a scratch behind the ear to praise or even a small treat. He will work harder if he knows a reward is waiting for him, so you will be able to accomplish lots in a short time.

5. You need lots of patience if you are going to be able to successfully train your dog. Progress will be slow, with lots of repetition needed before the behavior will be truly learned. And remember to reward each success as it occurs to reinforce the behavior you are targeting.

6. When disciplining your dog, never use the command "come". The command "come" should only be used in a positive way because it is such an integral part of training. Don't hit your pet when you are disciplining him. This will only cause him to fear you and it will end up damaging the trust between the two of you.

7. When beginning a training session, it's always a good idea to review what your dog has already learned before starting on teaching new behavior. Be sure to give him a reward for a job well done and then go on to something new.

8. Never extend the training session too long. If you sense that your pet is tiring or losing interest you will be farther ahead in the long run, ending the session than urging him to keep going. Be sure to have him carry out a simple command at the end of the lesson, give him his reward, and then spend a few minutes just having fun with him.

9. Always teach basic commands first. Things like sit, stay, down, and come are integral for success with more involved dog training. So be sure he has mastered these commands before you try to teach him more complex commands.

10. Only reward when a command is executed correctly. This goes along with being consistent. If he knows that he will get a "good boy" whether or not he sits on command, he won't learn the lesson.

By following these tips on dog training, you can be sure of having success in your quest to have a well behaved dog. And really wouldn't you rather have a dog that listens to you than one who doesn't? - 31490

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