Dog Guidance Blog

Training your dog can be a delightful, rewarding experience for both of you. Training doesn’t need to be time-intensive, particularly if you’re addressing issues in small steps and creating manageable goals. This article will outline several small but savvy techniques that can turn small problems into big success for you and your dog.

Breaking your dog’s attention is the key to gaining control. Dogs will focus on something and ignore all else unless something breaks that attention. By nudging or tapping the dog while issuing a control sound or word is usually all it will take to bring the dog’s focus back to you. With enough repetition your dog will focus on other things less and less, opting to wait for signals from you.

A good dog training tip is to always be aware of other dogs when you’re taking your dog for a walk.  Some dogs tend to be aggressive, and it’s not safe to assume that every dog owner is responsible.  If you notice an aggressive or antisocial dog, keep your dog away from it.

Generally, dogs learn by association, relating actions with rewards.  Be sure to keep distractions to a minimum when you begin the training, then change locations for the training over time as the dog becomes better at responding to your commands.  Give your dog time, remember they are not human, and you will be amazed at what they can be trained to do.

Keep your dog up to date with dog training in order to keep him or her compliant with an established set of rules. Many times owners feel that since their animals have gone through dog training they can just forget about it. However, pets like humans share similar habit systems. That is why it is vital to ensure your dog maintains a strict rule system.

When teaching your dog how to fetch do not reach for the object right when he brings it back to you. Ignore it and pat him on the head or body. If you reach for the object right away he may try to guard it, or run away. If you ignore it, he is more likely to drop it. You may also find it useful to train with multiple balls or Frisbees.

When training your dog to stay, take baby steps.  First tell her to sit or lie down.  When she has held that position for a couple of seconds, tell her to stay.  If she stays longer, give her a treat.  Allow her to move again, and repeat the process, rewarding her after she stays a bit longer with each repetition.

When training your dog, try to use positive reinforcement. Instead of harshly scolding the animal when it does something wrong, reward it with a small treat when it behaves how you want it to. Soon enough, your puppy will learn to only do the behaviors that earn treats, becoming perfectly trained in no time.

As you can see, starting a dog-training routine doesn’t need to be a chore. Your dog is designed to be eager to please, so consider this time spent as time invested in your relationship. Your dog will be happier with clear boundaries and a proper relationship, so consider starting your routine today!