subject: 7 Puppy Training Tips From Puppy Training Professionals [print this page] Whether you own a brand-new puppy or an aging domestic dog, it makes good sense to commit a little time educating them. Here are 7 standard puppy training tips you can't go wrong with:
1. Constructive reenforcement is all important. Although there are a lot of hypotheses about how to train your dog, most dog training experts agree that positive reinforcement works best. Positive reinforcement requires reinforcing your dog with verbal praise "good dog", physical praise like a pat on the head and food rewards. It doesn't involve yelling at your dog, hitting or punishing them.
Positive reinforcement works because it builds a bond of trust with your dog. Dogs are motivated by rewards especially food rewards.
2. Consistency is essential. If you're working with your dog on a specific skill or trick then try to train them at the same time every day. This helps your dog know what to expect. Most dogs thrive on structure and will perform and learn much faster when they know what's expected. If you're training using food rewards, try to train your dog before mealtime so they're a little bit hungry and motivated.
3. Be patient. Dogs tend to learn in waves. Occasionally they pick things up promptly and then the next day it looks as if you have to start over from the very beginning. Be diligent. Begin each fresh trick with really little strides and be clear about what you require. Even with the smallest tricks like "sit" you will want to break it down into smaller steps.
4. Employ hand cues in addition to spoken cues. A lot of dogs have an easier time interpreting and recalling hand signals than they do with spoken cues. Designate a hand signal to each trick or conduct you are developing.
5. Train in small increments. Dogs have short attention spans. Attempting to train them for twenty or thirty minutes isn't going to work. They're going to become defeated and lose focus. Rather, continue training sessions for no longer than five minutes.
To begin with, you may prefer to train for only a minute or two until your dog starts to expect training. Dogs can learn to hate training. Keeping the training sessions short will help them learn to love the procedure.
6. Always close on a positive note. Acquiring a new trick is grueling work. End each training session, no matter how frustrating, on a positive note. Always give your dog a trick or behavior to perform that they know how to do and end with a food reinforcement and plenty of kudos.
7. Keep your dog healthy. In conclusion, one of the most significant dog training tips from the experts advocates feeding your dog a superior dog food, giving them plenty of fresh water and making sure they get enough sleep. A healthy dog is a more contented dog and will acquire desirable behaviours a good deal more quickly.
