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Why Train Your Dog?
There are many reasons to train your dog. A well behaved obedient dog is a pleasure to have around and a dog needs to know that they are not the boss of the family. Dogs of any age benefit from dog obedience training. We've included some tips and basic dog obedience commands to help you and your puppy/dog.
How to Train Your Dog Successfully
There are many ways to train your dog. You can attend dog obedience training classes and join an obedience dog club. You can arrange for professionals to train your dog and train you, or there is a fantastic range of books, CDs, and DVDs available to help you with training your dog.
Motivational Techniques for Dog Training
Dogs respond best to positive training techniques and positive reinforcement. Dogs generally want to please their owner and the best way to teach your dog is by rewarding them for good behaviour rather than punishing them when they misbehave. The best time to train your dog is when you are both enthusiastic, relaxed and looking forward to your training session. Dog training should be fun.
How to Train Your Dog?
Dogs need lots of repetition as well as encouragement to learn. Dog training is carried out by using simple vocal commands and gestures.
Vocal commands: Use the tone and sound of your voice to encourage your dog to learn. Keep the word simple and use the same words for each command.
Gestures: Similar to using the same vocal commands, your dog will respond better if you use certain gestures for certain commands.
When to Train your Dog.
If you can, it is great to train regularly. A session of 10 to 15 minutes per day will mean that you and your dog or puppy don't get too tired and lose patience with the training. Dog training can be great fun and you both need to be kept enthusiastic and stimulated by learning new commands. Always finish a training session with praise and encouragement. By finishing on a good note you and your dog finish the training session motivated and looking forward to the next session.
Who Should Dog Train?
When you first start training your dog, some dog experts recommend that it may be better for one person to be responsible for the dog's training.
Dog Training Tips
Give your puppy lots of human contact from when you bring him home. Pat the puppy often. Handle his paws and gently rub his ears. This will teach your dog that being touched by a human is a social interaction - a time to enjoy.
When your puppy is happy and comfortable with immediate family, invite friends and neighbours to handle and play with him.
Puppy owners should take a break from obedience training. Build up your training sessions to about 20 to 30 minutes. It gives both you and your puppy a chance to take a breather and have a little play. It also makes training more fun and is more effective for your puppy.
Although it can be challenging to train your dog, you should not allow your dog to either ignore a command or fail to carry it out. Patiently work with your dog on a difficult command so your dog understands how to carry out the basic command. Reward them when they eventually carry out the command successfully.
Using treats. Many dog behaviour and training experts now agree that giving treats whilst training your dog can assist in the training process.
Basic Dog Training Commands
Here are some of the basic commands that you should use when training your dog.
Sit: This position is often the first taught and has your dog sitting beside you, watching you.
Heel: This command involves holding your puppy or dog on a loose lead on your left side.
Drop/Down: This command is when your dog instantly drops down to the ground, again watching you.
Stay: Your dog stays in one spot and will not move until you call them.
Come: When you call your dog/puppy - they come instantly to you.
How to Train Your Dog to Do Basic Commands
Sit
Two main methods:
Have your dog on the lead and tell them to 'sit' using a firm voice whilst pulling up on the leash and pushing down their rear end with your left hand. When the dog does this praise them.
Attract your dog's attention with a treat. Then hold the treat above your dog's nose and then lift the treat upwards and back slightly. Most dogs will move into the sit command. If they don't, you can gently push down their rear end whilst saying 'sit' in a firm voice.
Whichever method you choose, you will need to repeat this command around 10 times. Praise them each time they carry it out successfully. One thing to be careful of is associating the word 'sit' with the action. If they don't sit on command you will need to wait, get your dog into position again and then give the command. Otherwise the dog will associate the words 'sit,sit,sit' with the command, rather than simply the word 'sit'.
Heel
Your dog should walk beside you on your left hand side rather than running ahead or dragging behind. To train your dog to heel, you need to encourage your dog to sit beside you on the left hand side. When you start to walk you need to say 'heel' to your dog. Start off by walking briskly and encourage your dog to walk beside you. If you are using a treat this will often help you to encourage the dog to stay in the correct position. When teaching your dog to heel, you need to constantly get their attention by using their name and praising them when they are heeling correctly.
Drop/Down
It is often easier to teach this command with a treat. Although you can teach from a standing or sitting position, it is often easier from a sitting position. When teaching your dog to drop or down, you need to choose which word you will use, and command them to 'drop' while you sweep the treat in front of them towards the ground and their chest whilst gently applying pressure on your dog's shoulders. When your dog drops successfully, reward them and then repeat this exercise several times. If your dog doesn't respond, you can gently lift out their front legs helping them to go down. Once you dog has learned to drop successfully you can combine a hand signal with a downward stroke whilst you say this command.
Stay
To teach your dog to stay, have them on the lead sitting beside you. Tell your dog to 'stay' and reward them while they are sitting still. Move slowly away from your dog telling them to 'stay' and using the hand signal of an open palm. Reward them when they stay successfully. If they move away, gently say 'No' then place them back into the correct position and start again. Throughout the exercise, if your dog is understanding and finding it easy to stay, aim to lengthen the amount of time that they are staying.
Recall - Come
The recall command is important. Once your dog can reliably return to you when they are called, you can take them off the lead in certain areas. (Check with your local council or government on rules of letting dogs off leads.) The hand gesture for recall is generally having both your arms up in the air. To teach your dog to recall, you will need to ensure that you always praise your dog when they return to you. Generally you will call out 'come' to your dog using the hand gesture as well. You can also train your dog to come using the lead. Whilst having your dog sitting across from you, you can call out 'come' and then pull them towards you. One of the most important things about teaching your dog to recall is to always praise them when they come to you. Never reprimand or discipline your dog when they do come to you.
Don't Jump
A jumping dog can be a problem for your family as well as visitors. To teach your dog not to jump, you will need to make the dog feel discomfort when they jump on you. As well as saying 'no', by putting your knee or arm out when they do try to jump on you, your dog will have negative associations with jumping.
Dog Obedience - Common Training Problems That Are Solved
Jumping on people
Not coming when called
Biting
Barking
Pulling on their lead
Taking clothes off the line
Chewing your favourite items
Digging holes
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