You've brought home a new family member, a beloved dog. No matter how old he or she is, you'll now be responsible for training him or her to ensure that he or she fits into your family and routine. But where do you start? Follow our guide to learn the top 10 dog training tips to keep them on track with confidence…
1. Homework
Before you decide to take your dog outside in public places, start training him at home or in the garden first. Familiarising him with basic commands such as sit, lie down and come when you call him will make things much easier when you take him out in public and will make your dog much safer.
2. Short and sweet
Dogs (especially puppies) can have a very short attention span. If your training sessions go on for too long, your dog will easily become bored, which will lead to bad behavior and frustration. Keep training sessions to 15 minutes or less to ensure your dog learns to their maximum potential. Little and often is key!
3. Be patient
It is a known fact that some dogs learn faster than others. If your dog is older, he may already have bad habits or behaviors that you are trying to break and eliminate. Always be patient with him. If you show displeasure or frustration with him while training him, it will probably take you much longer to train him than you expected. Allow him to learn at his own pace and do not rush him so that your lesson sinks in and he understands that you have all the time in the world for him. Patience will pay off in the end.
4. One by one
There will be many things you want your new dog to learn. Of course, all the basic commands, but in general, learning how to adjust to everyday life in his new home will also be a lesson for him. Remember, only teach him one lesson or command at a time so as not to overwhelm him. Completely master one command before moving on to the next. Your dog is constantly learning from you, not just during lessons, and he can easily become distracted and forgetful if you try to teach him multiple commands at once.
5. Reward and praise
At every stage of the training process, praise your dog so he knows he is doing the right thing. Don’t punish him if he takes longer to learn your commands than you expected. Remember – patience! If he does a command correctly, give him lots of treats and praise him, telling him what a good boy he is and showering him with love. Some trainers use pieces of sausage or small dog biscuits broken up to give the dog every time he does something correctly. If he makes a mistake, ignore it and try again. Never punish him for doing a command incorrectly. He is still a learner!
6. Be consistent
Chances are, you're not the only one in your family who wants to help train your dog. This is a great time for both of you, and other family members may want to pitch in, too. There's no need to train just one person, as long as everyone agrees on the methods and keywords. Make sure everyone who trains your dog uses the same commands and behaviors, including praise and treats, to ensure your dog's training is quick and easy.
7. Classrooms
If you are really struggling with your training, don’t give up. A good option for you might be a professional dog training course. This is a great resource for gathering and learning valuable information when it comes to teaching our dogs basic commands. Not only will you get tips and ideas from other dog owners, you will also be safely interacting with your dog in public and with other dogs, giving your dog many lessons at once! You can, of course, take higher level training courses, including agility, if you wish. A great and fun way to train your dog and turn them into the perfect family pet.
8. Distractions
A guaranteed way to distract your dog from training is to teach him when there are a lot of distractions around him. In order for him to learn quickly and truly, you need his full attention. While training, check your surroundings to make sure there is nothing around you that could take his attention away from you during the lesson.
9. No chase
One of the most important lessons we will teach our dog is the “come” command. This is something you should learn as soon as possible. Learning this command will ensure that you have the ability to recall your dog if necessary when you are outside with him, which can help save him from all sorts of difficulties or problems. And whatever you do; NEVER chase him! To a dog, chasing is a game. Unless that is what you are going for, never chase your dog while trying to recall him, otherwise, without a doubt, it will look like a game of cat and mouse between you and him, and he will almost certainly believe that your recall command means play time!
10. The Big Finish
After you have finished training your dog, be sure to offer him a large, long-lasting treat. This will really make him feel like he has been a very good boy and he will look forward to the next lesson with great anticipation! Praise and patience with love and treats are all that is really needed to successfully train your dog. And a trained, well-behaved dog is certainly a much happier dog!
If you have any other helpful tips for training your dog at home, please let us know in the comments below.
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