Dog Training Advice

dog training advice online

Formal dog training is a command and response program; you issue the commands with the proper voice inflections, gestures and demonstrations, the puppy learns to respond and perform the commands. He repeats and repeats the action of the command until he learns to asso­ciate the command with the proper action. It is the old ”trial-and-error” routine. Eventually, the puppy learns the commands well enough to make them part of his regular behavior pattern.

The puppy will pick up his cue from your behavior. Good dog training advice is to ap­proach the lessons in a playful manner and the dog will respond in a similar manner. Both you and the dog should enter into the lessons with a serious intention. You are not out to make the lessons a grueling marathon of learning, but neither are you supposed to make a big game of them. The puppy is learning some important lessons that will have a bearing on his future in your home and com­munity. Show him that you will not tolerate any fooling and he’ll fall into line.

You will find that the puppy will definitely respond to your attitude during the training and thereafter. He will be af­fected by your pleasure or displeasure, as shown in your voice. Dogs are very responsive to the human voice. Your voice, then, will be the most valuable training tool. One of the best pieces of dog training advice is to learn how to use your voice correctly. There’s no need to acquire the harsh or snappy voice of a drill sergeant. You will have to speak loudly and clearly, with enough firmness in your voice to show the puppy you mean business. A lackadaisical or indifferent tone will sim­ply not work. If you do use this approach, you’ll soon find your puppy gazing off into the distance, his mind far away from the job at hand.

Important Dog Training Advice: You will have to get and keep his attention. And you will have to win his con­fidence. It’s important, therefore, to ensure that there are no distractions during the training lessons. Furthermore, since the puppy has a relatively short attention span, the lessons should be kept to a minimum; fifteen minutes twice a day would be an adequate amount for dog training at this stage.

Another little bit of dog training advice is that you need to make the puppy feel secure. He’s going to make mistakes and become confused during the training. He must be made to feel that his failure to execute a command with precision the first few trials will not affect his relationship with you. He’ll have to work for your approval, but let him know he’s not going to be banished if he fails to get 100% on his first test. Give him boundaries. When he knows that a certain response on his part will evoke a specific action from you, his security will be bolstered. But his response to a com­mand must always yield the same action from you. Switch­ing your praise technique or manner of reprimand will un­dermine his security, as well as confuse him.