Dogs are domestic animals meaning they live amongst humans. They are the most domesticated of all kinds of animals and have been companions to humans since time immemorial. They are now even considered as members of the families they belong to. Unlike many other animals, they come in many different breeds and can serve many different purposes. While some breeds are more suited to being pets, some are used for work and security. They are expertly trained by professional dog trainers such as Delaware K9 Academy so they can adopt important skills. You can read about them here.
Dogs have many characteristics but one very important of these is the ability to be communicated with and trained. There are different methods by which they can be trained. Some of these include classical conditioning, science-based training, operant conditioning, positive and negative reinforcement, etc. You have the option of either training your pet by yourself or hiring a private trainer. Whatever you decide, below are tips to guide you in doing so.
How to Train Your Dog
Choose a Name
Choose a good name that your puppy will love. This helps it to connect with you and makes it easier for communication and training. A short name that ends in a strong consonant is preferable as it lets it quickly grasp the name every time it hears it. An older dog may already have a name depending on where it came from but if there is a need to change it or maybe you adopted the dog and you do not know its name, you can always give it another one. It is a good thing that they are very adaptable creatures and with some consistency, your pet should start responding to its new name in no time.
Set the Boundaries and Rules
If you have a puppy, it is a good thing to set up physical boundaries so they are safe all the time and do not wander off or go where they can get hurt. Also, put measures in place that will prevent them from destroying your stuff. By starting them off with good habits, they will likely continue in that path. You should decide what your dog can or cannot do and where it can or cannot go. Helping your canine understand this early will let it adapt quickly.
Be Realistic in Your Expectations
Habits do not die easily as learning them does not come easy as well. Either will take some time. The time taken will depend on your canine and your training methods. Note however that dog-specific habits will take longer to change. It is also easier to train up a pup than an adult. Understand this, give it time and do not be discouraged. You can see some common dog behaviors in this glossary https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/behavior.
Teach it to Be Obedient
The most common commands a dog should be able to obey includes “come”, “sit”, and “stay down”. Teaching these soon enough and as the first set of training will make listening to you straightforward. This helps it understand who is in charge. Reinforce these commands as much as possible even when it is quite busy and you will reap the benefits soon enough.
Reward Good Behavior
Some believe that giving treats to your pet to train it can mean bribery. Canines will always respond to whatever works and treats usually do the trick. You can also use it as positive reinforcements. You can also be affectionate, showing love by patting, hugging, and kissing your canine. The whole idea is to make it know that what it has done is acceptable. Avoid rewarding bad behavior but rather be strict in discouraging it.
Talk to Your Pet Often
Dogs may not speak human language but when you talk to them often, they tend to understand, and over time they respond accordingly. In talking to it, show what you want by making it take such action. Also, ensure you say positive things to it as much as possible. You can check the bestDogDads training tips to learn more.
Training your dog can be fun and interesting for both of you if you know how to go about it. Show it love and respect and it will respond easily. Ending any training sessions by heaping praise, petting, affirming, and playing with your pet will speed up how he learns so be sure to do so often.
You may also want to consider neutering your dog when it is much older. This makes it less aggressive and more docile, making its training easier.