Training Your Dog Made Easy
What does training your dog have to do with a website about dog nutrition and dog health?Well, here's my answer. I think dogs are like people. They are multi-faceted creatures that play an important role in the lives of the people they live with. Dogs like humans, in my opinion, are spiritual beings within a physical body. Dogs live with us, and so must function within the social framework that we set for them. We all want our dogs to be well behaved. A well behaved, balanced dog can lead a happy, emotionally healthy life, and so can we. Training your dog will help to make this possible!
I am not a dog trainer, believe me. I know that training your dog is not always easy. I also know that you CAN learn how to train your dog. Just use some plain common sense, the patience that God gave you, and a few basic dog obedience training tips. The moment your dog came into your life you became a dog trainer. Did you know this? I hope these dog training tips will help you. When I need dog training advice, I listen to ' experienced ' dog owners and trainers for help. Dog training methods are not all the same. One size does not fit all. Dogs learn by making mistakes. The same as you or me. Training your dog, is a lot like training your kids as they grow up. You help them learn what behaviors are acceptable, and what ones are not. In this way you help to prepare them for life in the real world. They will then be ready for anything. You want to build a trusting relationship with your dog, the same way you do with your kids. The basic commands such as sit, stay and lie down, seems pretty straight forward. Everyone agrees on the how-to. Most dogs and owners master these techniques with ease, and in no time. When it comes to walking on leash, coming back when called, not jumping on people, and other ' bad ' behaviors, it's a different story. Along with barking, this is where most dog owners have trouble, and start looking for dog training advice. These are not bad behaviors that require punishment, these are opportunities for learning, for both you and your dog. Very quickly I became clear on the following: - I am the best person to train my dog.
- I am a dog trainer in training and need to educate, understand and learn about techniques to properly train my dog.
- Dog trainers and dog training classes not only teach my dog, but also teach ME how to work with my dog.
- There is more than one way to train your dog. All dogs are individuals. What works for one dog, might not be appropriate for another dog.
- There are some basics dog training tips that all dog owners should know for successful training.
What helped me the most was not one dog trainer or one dog training book, but rather a combination of techniques and ideas and a better understanding about canine behavior and canine body language. The most useful ' training your dog ' advice I got was...Think like a dog !
10 Useful Dog Training Tips
- Training your dog does not just belong in the classroom. Train your dog a little bit every day, for short periods of time. Puppies and adult dogs alike need a frequent reminder.
- Consistency. Use it or Lose it! If you don’t train your dog every day, both of you will forget the road you’ve already traveled.
- Train your dog indoors, so your dog can stay focused on the learning. There will come a time to introduce distractions (see next bullet!), but begin where you have your dog’s undivided attention, so he learns where his focus should be.
- Practice outdoors, so he can learn to stay focused on you, even with distractions around. Life is distracting whether indoors or out. The phone is ringing, people are talking and everyone is a little ADD. It’s important to introduce distractions into your training so that your dog knows, despite that other dog running by, that his attention should always be on you.
- Always follow training time with some play time. All work and no play makes Rover a dull dog. While training your dog is important for your dog’s mental and physical well-being, so is a little play time. Work first, play later. Make sure to reward your dog for his hard work with some fun.
- Most dog are playful. Incorporate different commands into play. Spending your entire play session practicing commands, will hardly be fun for your dog. Sprinkling a few sit, stay, and lie down, will keep him alert and on his toes!
- Socialize your dog. Socialization with other dogs and humans teaches your dog to behave in public settings. Dog runs, a trip to the dog park, walks in the park and even play dates, are all important to his training!
- Spend some quality time together. One on one time with your dog creates a strong bond. When you create a strong bond, you build trust between you and your dog. He will learn to depend on that trust, during your training sessions and in every day life.
- Your body language is important. Stand firmly and confidently. Focus on your dog. Be patient and mentally/emotionally strong. Be clear and calm about what you want your dog to do.
- Understand your dog's body language. This is where ' think like a dog ' becomes important. Since your dog can’t speak, it’s important to read his body language to get clues about whether he might be frightened, excited or confused by a command.
A great way to learn about dog's body language is to watch your dog interact with other dogs. Pay attention to body posture. You can learn a lot from watching dogs play together. There are many good books on this subject of training your dog, and canine body language. Some of my favorites are any of the books written by The Monks of New Skete. The monks are famous for the breeding and raising of their wonderful German Shepherd Dogs. Training your dog is a broad subject and as I said, I am not a dog trainer. This website is not about dog training but I hope this page helps you with a few basic dog training tips. There are some wonderful books, dvd's and videos that can help. They are all good reads, great entertainment and excellent training tools. Of course don't forget to watch The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Milan, on the National Geographic channel. Cesar is everyone's favorite. From him I have learned much.
My favorite technique is the same one that my son used to respond to when he was a little boy. He called it ' the mummy look '. Stand tall, head slightly forward, focused stare ( wait for it! ). Ahhhhhh...there it is. Good Boy!
Little boys grow up to be big men.Little puppies grow up to be big dogs. Train them both with patience and love.
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