Training a puppy is rarely an easy task, after all, there’s something of a language barrier between you. That said, it is possible with consistent effort and the willingness to be direct in your instructions, as well as spending some money on professional training, to raise a well-trained dog that listens to you.
That latter part is the hardest hill to climb, because it’s true to say that training a good dog often means being the right kind of owner. It also means being as patient as possible, as we have to remember that puppies have almost none of the long-form development time that goes into teaching a child to become their adult self.
Moreover, some dogs will never lose their inner puppy, and this means you have to be vigilant and know how to show your boundaries, makes sure you don’t give them mixed signals, and also apply punishments correctly and ethically, which any pet owner worth their salt will try to do in the first place.
So, let’s consider some of the core principles involved in training a little dog to behave. Without further ado, please consider:
Repetition, Communication, Incentive
We have to remember that while we tend to personalize our pets and talk to them as if they were a human, they can’t actually understand English outside of relating certain commands to certain actions. In other words, they understand particular noises and their signals, including some basic meaning, but not the wider context. As such, it’s important to be consistent, to repeat our instructions carefully.
So for example, a light tap on the snout and a ‘no!’ firmly held means ‘you have been misbehaving, and I do not like this action.’ That can be enough. Yet it’s also true that incentives for positive actions can be a great tool, also. With dog training treats, you can easily teach them new tricks or commands, like to come to you when you call them out on a walk - to not run away immediately, or other tricks, like learning to be patient while you’re filling their dog bowl with food.
Be sure to keep your communication consistent. For instance, if you laugh and say ‘no!’ in the same tone you have when play wrestling, then odds are, this signal becomes less impactful when you need to deter action. It’s impossible to be perfect here but try your best.
Consistent Rules, Applied Consistently
It’s essential to be consistent about the boundaries you set with your dog. So for instance, you may have faux-leather sofas, and if they jump on them, this will cause scratching and holes. As such, they cannot be allowed onto the furniture except when given direct instruction to sit on your lap.
However, if you let them jump on the sofa or your bed at night, or when you have a friend around to play wrestle, or during the festive holidays, then they won’t understand why you’re chastising them at other times, and you might come into the room to see them proudly laying on the sofa in your absence. Alternatively, if you instruct your dog not to jump over guests, but allow them to charge at your best friend when they visit, those mixed signals can be hard for them to understand.
Consistent rules can be hard to apply 100% of the time, but if the overall trend is well-applied, the outcome is likely to be better.
Young Exposure
Dogs, like humans, are often shaped by their childhood. This means the experience they have at that age can determine their habits and reactions later on in life. Unlike humans, it’s hard for animals to undergo therapy to untangle some of those bad habits later on in life, even if the right trainer might be able to enforce new discipline.
Heading to a professional dog training instructor during their youth is important. So is walking in the park or going on trips, perhaps carrying them properly if their little legs can’t carry them far. They need to smell other dogs, become aware of other dogs and their owners, and get out their barking. They need to know how to behave around other pets and their animals so the site of another creature won’t cause them distress or worry later on.
Anyone that has encountered a dog who is unable to accept the presence of other dogs in a park, in another resident’s garden, or especially when a relative visits their home understands how unmanageable this situation can be. If you can ensure another dog is no big deal to yours, then they’ll be calmer and enjoy a better sense of presence.
Bonding With Your Dog
To be a dog’s master, you have to be the authority figure in its life. This means being firm but fair, and also spending time bonding with them. Daily walks, making sure you feed them and wash them when appropriate, and also ensuring your family members are well introduced to them ahead of time is key.
A bond with man’s best friend can last for years, nearly two-decades even, and for this reason, it’s good to make sure it rests on a worthwhile foundation. If you’re retraining a rescue dog, then this is even more important and can be aided with professional training qualified to help instruct rescues. Professional dog trainers will always use you as the conduit to train the pooch because they know that bond is more important than any trick they could be taught in the meantime.
Ground Rules
Ground rules are important to put in place. A no-tolerance policy can help your dog know what not to do, and this can be as effective as a positive lesson. For instance, making certain they know not to beg for scraps at the dinner table is essential, and that comes from night after night of making certain each member of the family gives direct instructions for them to leave the room when you’re eating at night.
Consider the ground rules within your lifestyle or particular home set up - and you can be clear from the start.
With this advice, you’re sure to discipline your doggy in the healthiest manner, allowing them to be an obedient, loving, happy, and fun pet.
That latter part is the hardest hill to climb, because it’s true to say that training a good dog often means being the right kind of owner. It also means being as patient as possible, as we have to remember that puppies have almost none of the long-form development time that goes into teaching a child to become their adult self.
Moreover, some dogs will never lose their inner puppy, and this means you have to be vigilant and know how to show your boundaries, makes sure you don’t give them mixed signals, and also apply punishments correctly and ethically, which any pet owner worth their salt will try to do in the first place.
So, let’s consider some of the core principles involved in training a little dog to behave. Without further ado, please consider:
Repetition, Communication, Incentive
We have to remember that while we tend to personalize our pets and talk to them as if they were a human, they can’t actually understand English outside of relating certain commands to certain actions. In other words, they understand particular noises and their signals, including some basic meaning, but not the wider context. As such, it’s important to be consistent, to repeat our instructions carefully.
So for example, a light tap on the snout and a ‘no!’ firmly held means ‘you have been misbehaving, and I do not like this action.’ That can be enough. Yet it’s also true that incentives for positive actions can be a great tool, also. With dog training treats, you can easily teach them new tricks or commands, like to come to you when you call them out on a walk - to not run away immediately, or other tricks, like learning to be patient while you’re filling their dog bowl with food.
Be sure to keep your communication consistent. For instance, if you laugh and say ‘no!’ in the same tone you have when play wrestling, then odds are, this signal becomes less impactful when you need to deter action. It’s impossible to be perfect here but try your best.
Consistent Rules, Applied Consistently
It’s essential to be consistent about the boundaries you set with your dog. So for instance, you may have faux-leather sofas, and if they jump on them, this will cause scratching and holes. As such, they cannot be allowed onto the furniture except when given direct instruction to sit on your lap.
However, if you let them jump on the sofa or your bed at night, or when you have a friend around to play wrestle, or during the festive holidays, then they won’t understand why you’re chastising them at other times, and you might come into the room to see them proudly laying on the sofa in your absence. Alternatively, if you instruct your dog not to jump over guests, but allow them to charge at your best friend when they visit, those mixed signals can be hard for them to understand.
Consistent rules can be hard to apply 100% of the time, but if the overall trend is well-applied, the outcome is likely to be better.
Young Exposure
Dogs, like humans, are often shaped by their childhood. This means the experience they have at that age can determine their habits and reactions later on in life. Unlike humans, it’s hard for animals to undergo therapy to untangle some of those bad habits later on in life, even if the right trainer might be able to enforce new discipline.
Heading to a professional dog training instructor during their youth is important. So is walking in the park or going on trips, perhaps carrying them properly if their little legs can’t carry them far. They need to smell other dogs, become aware of other dogs and their owners, and get out their barking. They need to know how to behave around other pets and their animals so the site of another creature won’t cause them distress or worry later on.
Anyone that has encountered a dog who is unable to accept the presence of other dogs in a park, in another resident’s garden, or especially when a relative visits their home understands how unmanageable this situation can be. If you can ensure another dog is no big deal to yours, then they’ll be calmer and enjoy a better sense of presence.
Bonding With Your Dog
To be a dog’s master, you have to be the authority figure in its life. This means being firm but fair, and also spending time bonding with them. Daily walks, making sure you feed them and wash them when appropriate, and also ensuring your family members are well introduced to them ahead of time is key.
A bond with man’s best friend can last for years, nearly two-decades even, and for this reason, it’s good to make sure it rests on a worthwhile foundation. If you’re retraining a rescue dog, then this is even more important and can be aided with professional training qualified to help instruct rescues. Professional dog trainers will always use you as the conduit to train the pooch because they know that bond is more important than any trick they could be taught in the meantime.
Ground Rules
Ground rules are important to put in place. A no-tolerance policy can help your dog know what not to do, and this can be as effective as a positive lesson. For instance, making certain they know not to beg for scraps at the dinner table is essential, and that comes from night after night of making certain each member of the family gives direct instructions for them to leave the room when you’re eating at night.
Consider the ground rules within your lifestyle or particular home set up - and you can be clear from the start.
With this advice, you’re sure to discipline your doggy in the healthiest manner, allowing them to be an obedient, loving, happy, and fun pet.
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