Having a dog as a pet can be one of life’s greatest joys. Becoming a first-time pet owner can be exciting however, it comes with a lot of responsibilities and challenges. Training a puppy can be difficult, and you need to be patient with your pup.
What is the basic training that your pup needs?
Whether your first-time pet is a puppy or an adult dog, you need to train your pet. A well-behaved pup must know to respond to seven common commands – sit, down, stay, come, heel, no, and off. Your dog needs to know these commands because these will be used on a daily basis.
There are three main ways to train your pup:
- Give treats: Treat training involves getting your dog to do something in return for a reward.
- Use a clicker: A clicker is a hand-held device that produces a clicking noise when pushed. The noise signals your dog to respond to the command, and once they follow this, they will receive a treat. By doing it 10-20 times, your dog will recognize the sound and anticipate the reward.
- Signal using hands: Hand signals are visual cues that replace a vocal cue. Most dog trainers combine verbal cues and clicker training to make dogs listen to the commands.
10 Dog Training Tips
1. Use treats
Dogs love treats; no matter what, they will come running to you for a treat. Do not worry about using a treat to reward good behaviour. While you cannot rely only on treats to get your dog to listen to you, they can be an essential tool to train your dog. Once you give the command, let your dog act, and then treat and pamper them
2. Start right away
Don't wait too long to train your new pup. It gets harder to train if you wait a long time without training your dog. Training quickly helps your dog become independent in certain routine parts, like potty training.
3. Keep trying
You may need several months to train your dog, which is okay. Your dog is warming up to the new arrangement, and training can be stressful. Training is easier if your fur baby has all the love, time, and encouragement to learn their commands.
4. Don’t distract
Your new dog's attention span can be minimal, and a successful training session involves removing distractions. Keep the toys away, avoid crowded places, close the windows, and train your fur baby in a quiet place away from other pets and children. Dogs lose focus and become challenging to train due to distractions.
5. Be consistent
Train and repeat always! Routine is vital, and ensure that you work on your dog's behaviour daily. Rewards and verbal commands need to be repeated in the same consistent manner to help your pet learn. Do not use different commands or confuse your dog by rewarding once for good behaviour and not rewarding it the next time.
6. Be patient
Once you have given a command, allow your dog time to react. Sometimes, they may need an extra few minutes to decode everything in their head. After every command, count to five in your head before using the command again.
7. Be concise
Dogs can learn a lot of words and phrases. But in the initial phases of training, use the basic language. Stick to one-word verbal commands that are easy to grasp and comprehend. Complete sentences or multi-step commands can be overwhelming and confuse your fur baby.
8. Choose your technique
Choose what technique works best for you and your dog and will help you connect better with them. Whether you wish to train your dog on your own or with the help of a professional trainer, you need to know the different training methods. The three dog training methods are:
- The Dominance Method
- The Scientific Method
- The Positive Reinforcement
9. Take help
Some dogs require more effort in their training. Don’t feel bad about connecting with a professional trainer or a vet. Visit the trainer when your dog isn't listening to your commands.
10. Be positive
Always end your training sessions on a positive note. After spending time with your dog, show your appreciation for the way your dog has tried to follow your command. Play with your dog, cuddle with them, or spend some time with your pup.
Conclusion:
Irrespective of your chosen method, ensure that you are having fun with your dog. The training sessions need to be a bond-building activity between you and your little pup. To make them more productive while still ensuring your pet has fun, give them a treat when they follow a command or reinforce good behaviour. Choose some special treats for your fur baby by clicking here.