Puppy Education

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Training a dog can be hard work, there is a lot of determination required and you need to be on your feet constantly because that is what will make your dog listen to all your commands.

Training a dog comes with its own set of challenges, however there are times when trainers try to do a bit too much and in doing so complicate the learning process of their canine. I was the same and I remember going to get a leash from Kustom-Fit Halters for my pooch Prometheus, and when he did not obey I used to yank his leash, which I later learned was a practice frowned upon. Hence, here are simple tips and tricks which can help you train your dog efficiently.

Be Positive with your Dog

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The key here is to be happy and upbeat when training your dog, your dog will respond better to positive vibes and will be more responsive to all of your commands.

Understand Your Dog’s Psyche

Dogs can take a bit of time comprehending the human body and language and hence you must be patient with him, and try to learn what his behavior indicates. This will lead to a stronger bond between you and your pooch and allow for effective communication.

Understand the Basics

Simple psychology tells us that behaviors which are reinforced are likely to be repeated, and the same thing holds true for your dog, as positive reinforcement will mean that rewarding your dog for a good behavior will likely encourage him to repeat it.

Short Training Sessions

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This has got a lot to do with a dog’s attention span. Consider this if I give you soccer drills for one hour daily you will have fun doing them, but if I force you to do this grueling training regime for 4 hours a day, you are bound to hate me. Similarly keep your training sessions short and fun, and allow the dog to express himself.

Make Training a Daily Routine

You know how that old expression goes practice makes perfect, and that couldn’t be more true as daily practice is bound to improve your coordination with your dog and pretty soon it will become a good habit.

Use Low Distraction Areas

Again, this has a lot to do with the dog’s attention span. The environment where the training is taking place has got to be quiet and free of distractions so your dog can concentrate on the task at hand and get the job done.

Patience

This is extremely important your dog will not learn all its tricks in a day, it will take a lot of time and patience, but trust me it will be worth it. A dog who is trained with patience is going to listen to each one of your commands and is going to respond in the most positive way possible.

Use Toys and Food as Reinforcements

Source: Pixabay

Now here is a tried and tested formula. Every time your dog performs an action which you think is positive reward him with playtime with his favorite toy, or give him a nibble from his favorite snack. Just like you would prefer a raise after a hard day’s work, your dog also likes to be rewarded for displaying a positive behavior.

Training a dog is never an easy job, and it requires a lot of trust and wellbeing on the part of both the dog and the trainer to achieve a level of communication where both the dog and the trainer can read the mind of each other.