Dog Training Tips

Published May 9, 2022 | By dog lovers

How to Train Your Dog: The Ultimate Guide for Training Dogs at Home

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Training your dog can be a daunting task. It’s not easy trying to understand their needs, their personality, and their triggers. But it will get easier over time. As you train your dog, remember that they are a dog. They respond to training with their native pack instincts. The key is to stay positive and show your dog what you have in mind for them. Never train your dog harshly. Never make them do something that they don’t want to do. Instead, provide them with a positive training experience. If you follow these training tips, you and your dog will be on the right track in no time.

What is training?

There are many different training methods out there, but one thing they all have in common is the use of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement training methods rely on rewards and incentives to encourage desired behaviour. Incentives, or “rewards,” are what motivate an animal to work for them. Positive reinforcement training uses many different rewards, but one of the most common is food.

When should you train your dog?

Ideally, you should be training your dog at every age. Puppies can be trained from the moment they come into your care. Training older dogs is more challenging and takes more patience, but it can still be achieved. The key is to train your dog the same way that you would train your child. The younger your dog is when you start training them, the more progress you will make. As your dog grows older, training becomes more challenging and requires more experience. Dogs can be trained at any age, but the older they are, the more experienced you will have to be.

Be firm but fair

Training, no matter what species it is for, is always going to be a challenge. Your job is to be firm and fair. The dog training method you choose to use is only part of the equation. You also need to be able to be consistent in your training methods and hold firm to your rules. Training your dog should be consistent. This may mean that you have to say “no” more often than you say “yes” when it comes to training. Consistency is essential when training your dog.

Always praise good behavior

You don’t want to praise your dog when they are being bad. Instead, praise them every time they are being good. Say something like, “good job, good boy!” or “great job, girl!”

Don’t train when your dog is stressed

When your dog is stressed, you want to avoid training them. Stressed dogs are more likely to snap and become aggressive because they are feeling threatened. Training your dog when they are under stress is the last thing you want to do. Instead, find ways to calm your dog down. Find a quiet place to take your dog away from your training session. Put your dog in a room with toys and let them do their thing. Take a few moments to do the same. Be calm. If you are suffering from stress, find ways to relax. Recharge your batteries. Get outside. Put your pup in a safe place where they can’t get into any trouble.

Make training fun

Training should be fun for both you and your dog. It’s not just about punishing your dog when they are doing something wrong, it’s also about rewarding them when they are doing the right thing. Find ways to make training exciting and fun. Whether that’s through playing games, giving treats, or doing some agility, find ways to keep things interesting and fun.

Train your dog without food rewards

One of the most common training mistakes is using food rewards. Dogs are pack animals. They are genetically wired to hunt and chase down prey. Food is a reward that is often used to train dogs. Animals are not machines, though, and using food rewards can backfire on you and your dog. Food is a reward for survival. Dogs were not created to be working machines. Dogs were not made to obey commands in order to be used as working animals. It goes against their DNA. Food is a reward for survival. It reinforces survival instincts. “If you hunt for me, I will give you food.” It also gives the wrong message, “You need to do this because you need food.”

Teach your dog a cue

Cues are simply commands that you teach your dog using a reward-based training method. One of the most common cues is “sit.” You can also teach your dog other commands, such as “down,” “place,” “stay,” “come,” etc. Teach your dog a cue based on their personality. If your dog is a very excitable, high-energy dog, then teach them a cue that calms them down.

Teach your dog a command

As your dog learns and picks up cues, you can begin teaching them commands. The most important command you should start teaching your dog is “leave it.” You can teach them “leave it” in a thousand different ways. Another important command is “come when called.”

Wrapping up

Training your dog is a journey. It takes time and effort, but it can be done. If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to training your dog. It will take time and patience, but with persistence, you will succeed. Your dog will thank you for it.