How to train your dog or puppy

Train your dog

If you are reading this, then it’s sure that you have welcomed a new pet dog into your life. Having a pet can do wonders for your life. There’s nothing more comforting than knowing that you have given shelter to a helpless creature. They just ooze of activity and fun.

It’s impossible to ignore a tail wagging, tongue swinging puppy-eyed dog. Being highly receptive, they can learn their owner’s behavior and routines in such a short span of time; this also makes them master manipulators. Something we adore. Of all the animals, dogs are the most responsive to human emotions. No surprises to why they have been called “man’s best friend.” It’s no surprise that dogs show tremendous loyalty and care towards their masters and a well-trained dog just ticks al the right boxes.

There are various reasons why people have dogs as pets. Be it as a passion or you want them for guard your fields or house or as a guardian to the elderly, a trained dog does everything better. Dog training is something you can do by yourself. A dog always prefers to take commands from its master rather than from an outside trainer. Plus its tons of fun to train your dog. This interaction between the pet and the master is beneficial mentally and0 physically for both the master and the pet. But there are some key points to remember before you take upon the task to become the ultimate dog trainer.

Be patient

You can’t expect your dog to learn everything in a single go. It will take some time to get your dog up to perfection, but be assured that it will be a worthwhile experience for you and your pet. Dogs are extremely fast learners, but be as it is it will take time for them to learn and respond in a way that you desire. Maybe its will only take a couple of days, or it can extend up to a couple of weeks but the satisfaction you get when your dog responds to your commands as it’s supposed to, makes the wait worthwhile. When you are patient with your dog, they will also return the same courtesy. It makes them feel comfortable around you and helps in their insatiable need to please you.

Never force them | Train your dog

One mistake everyone does while training their dogs is that they keep high expectations from the get-go. The problem arises when we, the amateur trainers see a well-trained dog performing meticulous tasks and tricks which we will most certainly force our dog to do. A dog can and will do all sorts of tricks you teach them, but the key factor is patience. A trainer must be very patient with his dog as dog training requires lots of it. When you try to teach a dog a new command or trick, there will be initial bewilderment from the dog’s side. But repeated gestures and voice commands will let them know what you mean. But forcing them to do everything on the first try will only create a sense of fear in their minds.

Use a reward system | Train your dog

When you are training a dog, you must alert him that when he obeys a command or did something right. It can be done by using an efficient reward system. Although using praises or touch works well, using a treat based reward system is much more effective. Give him a dog treat or something he likes to eat when he obeys your commands or when he perfects a trick. Even if he manages to do it only for a few seconds, encourage him to use treats and praises so he can define between options. But do not overfeed him using treats while on a training session. Tiny bite-sized pieces will suffice.

Now that you have a grasp of the basics in dog training, we can get to the actual practice itself. When starting out don’t go in with high expectations because the dog might think you are playing and might not obey a single command at all. This is where you should hold on to your patience and go into a complete Zen mode. It’s natural that on your first day you might not get anywhere with the training, but rewarding in the sense that you have spent some quality time with your dog. Even if it’s for an hour, your dog’s excitement and happiness level increase infinitely.

Even if you have a puppy or an adult dog, there are some basic training commands you must teach your dog. The complicated stuff you have seen trained dogs do are built up from this same foundation of core commands. But when you are house training a dog, a mere set of commands isn’t enough. A well-defined routine is necessary for dogs who live among their owners. Therefore potty training is a must to ensure that your home does not reek of unpleasant odor.

How to potty train your dog or puppy

As mentioned potty training is an integral part of housetraining a dog. More than just training it’s a routine. Unlike some say, potty training is not that hard. Follow the given set of instructions to get your pet house trained in no time
Introduce the system of fixed feeding schedule. Do not feed your puppy or dog now and then. Puppies require a meal thrice a day. But they have a tiny bladder and won’t hold in for hours. So the first thing to do is fix a regular timing for giving them their meal.

Walk them towards a spot for relieving themselves. Make sure that you take them to this exact spot every single time for performing their duties. For a puppy, you will have to have short intervals in between potty breaks as they do not hold in very well. On the other hand, Adult dogs can hold their bladder for hours on end.

Rinse and repeat. Early in the morning, the last thing at night or after activities is the best time to take them to the potty. After a couple of days, your dog won’t even need your help and follows this routine perfectly

Teach | Train your dog

After you have given them a method to follow in your house, it’s time to teach them the core commands that they must learn to obey. These commands will help you to make the perfect companion out of them. Besides, it’s a headache to have a rampaging dog running around having total disregard for your commands. Fret not as with some patience and dedication you can teach your dog to obey commands and execute them like a pro.

Sit: One of the basic commands you should teach your dog is to sit when instructed. Get your hands on some dog treats as you will need them for the following. Training your puppy or dog to sit is an excellent way of imparting them with the idea that you are in charge. This command is very easy to teach.

The first thing to do is have a treat in your hand and let the dog know that you have a treat by showing him. Treats will get him interested and focus all of his attention on you. When selecting the training ground, make sure to choose a place with no or minimal distractions.

Hold the treat above the dog’s head. Take care not to hold it too high as the dog will try to nip it from your hand by standing on hind legs. But not too close as he will try to bite it off from your hand. You will know the correct position to hold the treat as the dog won’t be able to jump or stand on two legs.

This makes the only possible way for him to get the treat is by sitting and raising his head. At the moment he sits down, you must say “sit” in an instructive voice. Don’t let your excitement get the best of you and shout, as this will make the dog think you are scolding him and misinterprets the command.

After you have said “sit” give the dog its treat and praise him encouraging them for the next session. You can only do this repeatedly for a short period as the dog will get overwhelmed, and you must provide him a break before the next training session.

Don’t expect your pet to obey the command on the very next day as this requires practice for a couple of days to get your dog to sit just by command without the treats.

Drop it: Puppies consider everything in your house as a potential chew toy. So the “drop it” command will help you in preventing your pet from destroying everything he gets his teeth into.

Give the dog a chew toy or something hard he likes to chew.

When he is chewing on the toy, say “drop it” and show him a treat. He will drop the toy for the edible treat.
Repeating this procedure with you saying the command every time he drops the toy, he will associate the words “drop it” to an instruction to drop something he is holding in his mouth.

Stay: Stay is another highly useful command you should teach your dog or puppy. Training them the stay command will help you stop them if they decide to chase something or someone. This is also useful if you want your dog to hold position while you are out for a walk or doing some chores.

Take into account that dog and puppies hate to stay still alone place. So it might take a while before the pet gets the full swing of this command.

When you have the dog sitting or standing still, open your palm facing towards the dog. Say “stay” and walk back slowly while facing the dog. The first few times the dogs will follow you around but don’t lose your patience.

Make him sit again and repeat the procedure. In time the dog will not move as you get farther and farther away from it. Each time you see an improvement reward him with praises and treats to motivate him more and more.

Come: One of the most important command you should teach your dog or puppy right away is this particular command. Not only does this command impart a sense of obedience in the dog but also will help you to direct him out of dangerous or hazardous situations.

Make sure you are at a distance from the dog.

Say “come” and put a treat near your feet.

As soon as the dog or puppy see the treat, they will rush towards it.

Using the word “come” for overtime you place the treat will make them respond to his command immediately.
Repeat this routine for a few days, and you will see him answer back to this command even without the inclusion of the treats.

Yes, dog training can sometimes be tedious. Something you might have to end the session with no particular result to show for. But in time, with some dedication from your part, you can see amazing results as your dog becomes a well behaved obedient dog. Dogs are animals who likes to answer to an alpha.

So it isn’t the dog that’s showing resistance to learning it’s just an indicator that we must try a different method to get to them. Besides spending some quality time with your pet just takes the stress off and help us in getting more active. Taking them for a walk or lightly caressing them do wonders regarding their affection towards you. Special care must be taken to make training sessions short. At the end of each session, your dog or puppy should be awarded lots of praises and a few treats.

You don’t have to be a pro to train your dogs as these canine friends are more than happy to put up with our flaws and mistakes. It’s impossible to stay mad at them when they roll their puppy dog eyes and lay there looking at you. The little nuances they make, which can be as simple as sitting alongside you when you are alone is enough to convey the immense respect and love they have for their masters. Dog training isn’t scolding dogs or shouting at them till they succumb to submission, it’s an art of molding them to become the best companion.

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