Dog Training Basics
If you want to learn about dog training basics, building relations, consistency and firmness then read this article all the way to the end. Specifically, I’ll cover the fact that your pet dog is your best friend, so treat him or her as such. Have fun and play with your dog.
When training your dog you should always be consistent with your commands. The same commands should be used by all family members. Your dog will soon realize that these are the rules and it doesn’t matter who is making the commands. Your friendly voice is important during play time. When training your dog you can start out with a friendly voice, but be firm. After you’re done with this article you should be able enjoy a lifetime of a rewarding relationship with your best friend.
By playing with your friend, he not only learns lessons but also learns to trust human contact. You enforce positive behavior because while playing, you naturally have a friendly play voice. Your dog relates to this because your voice has a lot of influence on your dogs’ behavior. A friendly voice will yield much more positive results than an angry one. This will carry over into your training routine.
When training your pet dog you should always be consistent with your commands. The same commands should be used by all family members. Your dog will soon realize that these are the rules and it doesn’t matter who is making the commands, and this is vital to dog training basics.
By utilizing the dog training basic principles of friendliness, consistency and firmness you’ll have a well behaved and happy dog. You’ll enjoy a lifetime of a rewarding relationship with your best friend.
Rules should be rules. What you as “master” will not allow, should not be allowed by another family member. It should always be command, action, and then reward. Give the command, expect action and reward the dog for obeying the command. This can be as simple as saying “good dog” and giving a friendly pat on the head. Your dog relates to this because it begins a reward pattern during training and throughout daily life.
Everyone should follow the command, action, reward pattern during training and throughout daily life. All are important. That is why your friendly voice is important during play time but your firm voice comes into play during training.
By building relations, utilizing consistency and firmness by utilizing the dog training basic principles of friendliness, consistency and firmness you’ll have a well behaved and happy dog. You’ll enjoy a lifetime of a rewarding relationship with your best friend.
So often during daily life and while dog training, owners get frustrated when they don’t get the desired results. The owner gets upset and starts yelling at the dog. Always use a firm voice, but not an angry one.
Fido relates to this because by using a firm voice, your dog will understand that you are serious, and eventually obey you. However, by yelling you may end up with a timid dog. You may also see acts of rebellion because however bad it may be, he or she will still get attention.
Understand that by utilizing the dog training basic principles of friendliness, consistency and firmness you’ll have a well behaved and happy dog. You’ll enjoy a lifetime of a rewarding relationship with your best friend. This wouldn’t even be possible without these 3 principles.
So now get out there and start utilizing the dog training basic principles of friendliness, consistency and firmness. You’ll have a well behaved and happy dog. You’ll also enjoy a lifetime of a rewarding relationship with your best friend.
Puppy Basic Training
As owners of a new puppy it’s our job to teach them basic commands. Training should start the day you bring him or her home.
Always use their name (assuming you’ve picked one out) repeatedly. Limit distractions while training and do so in a relaxed environment. All family members should follow the same training methods. Just as children, puppies are full of curiosity and have short attention spans. It’s a good idea to let the puppy play before starting your training sessions. Keep the sessions to about 15 minutes. Patience is a must and you should never lose your temper.
I remember when we adopted our German Sheppard and brought him home. I was not very patient. He destroyed furniture, chewed up lots of other things and exhibited other behavior patterns. The shelter had told us that he was mixed with Husky. As he grew older we started noticing other traits and began to suspect he was actually part wolf. This was later confirmed by our Veterinarian. Had we known this, our methods may have differed somewhat. Although all breeds have the capacity to learn, some take longer, and some require slightly different methods.
I have several resources for more thorough guides for training at my site.
http://borduadogtraining.hostei.com/
In any case, always be consistent and firm and reward them for good behavior or following your commands. Rewards can start out as treats, but gradually include more and more “petting” rewards in lieu of food. If you use only treats you’ll end up with a dog that merely “performs” whenever they feel hungry.
Their first commands should be “Come”, “Sit”, “Stay” and of course “No”. Always use their name when giving commands.
Come.
Looking at your puppy, give the command “Come”. Say this firmly and calmly with your arm outstretched and your hand curling up towards your chest, like you would when you ask a friend to “come here and look at this”. You may have to physically show them what you mean at first. Remember that all commands will take repetition before they become a learned behavior. Reward them for a job well done.
Sit.
Once they’ve learned the command to come, teach them to “Sit”. Give the command and gently push down on their rear, until they end up sitting. Praise and repeat. This may take several tries, but they will get it. Gradually replace pushing their rear down with a simple finger point towards their rear quarters.
Stay.
Okay, now they’ve learned to come and then sit. Their first instinct will be to get up again. Once sitting, command them to “stay”. Say it firmly with your outstretched hand, fingers up, and palm facing them. If they get up, repeat the lesson starting with “sit”. I can’t overemphasize repetition. We as humans often need to go over things more than once. Pets need this even more.
No.
I’m not sure this falls into the category of “commands” but it’s important for them to learn. Whenever your puppy is exhibiting bad behavior (at this point it’s usually just being a nuisance) tell them firmly “no” maybe adding “bad puppy or dog”. Separate them from the object or area and distract them with something they CAN do or play with. Tell them “good dog or puppy” when they’re doing something allowed.
Always end your puppy training sessions on a good note. If they’re having difficulty learning a certain command, substitute it with a learned one. This way you can make sure they receive their reward for a job well done.
For all your puppy and dog training needs go here:
Health First
You know, one of the things that we make sure of is that the health of our dogs is maintained. A healthy dog is happier, and therefore more social, and easier to train. We’ve all seen dogs that lay around all day, show signs of depression (also a sign of “Parvo” disease), constant scratching, etc. It’s surprising to me how many dogs are like this, and it’s a shame too, because it’s just not that difficult to keep a dog healthy.
One of the first things you should do is to look for a good local Veterinarian, and begin regular visits. I recommend at least an annual exam. You should also locate and determine the hours of other Vet Clinics just in case of emergency and keep this information handy. You never know when something might happen.
If your puppy/dog is to be a family pet, and you do not intend to breed him/her, please consider Neutering. This will make training easier, they’ll be less inclined to “mark” their territory, or wander. It also reduces the risk of certain infections and diseases. More importantly, it helps reduce the “unwanted” population. Too often people get pets without realizing the amount of work it takes, and end up “dropping them off” or adding to the ever increasing population of Animal Shelters.
Watch for parasites and expect them to start making appearances. It’s quite common for puppies to develop worms which are most often passed on from their mothers. Treatment for this can begin at the age of 2 weeks. This is something that can be done at home. Simply talk to your Pet Supply center, and of course you CAN visit your Veterinarian.
For complete pet care information I recommend “Veterinary Secrets Revealed” by Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM. Take a look here:
Ticks, fleas, lice, and mites all live on a puppy’s body. Examine your pet closely for signs of their presence. It may take some practice at first, since they are tiny, but shortly you’ll be able to see their movement quite easily. Ticks can be picked up in wooded areas and can cause Lyme and other diseases. If you see Ticks, wear gloves, use tweezers and physically remove them by the head. The head MUST be removed. Put a bit of alcohol on the spot. There is medication available to repel them.
Fleas are another common nuisance and can cause allergic dermatitis (lesions). Treat the puppy with a flea bath or dip. After a thorough bath, follow up with a flea control product. But wait, your job isn’t over yet. Go through the house with carpet flea powder, and be sure to thoroughly wash puppy’s bedding. Taking care of the dog doesn’t help much without eliminating the exposure.
Finally, don’t beat yourself up over a sick dog. EVERY pet at some point becomes ill. Learn to recognize the symptoms.
Loss of appetite for a long period.
Diarrhea, constipation or difficulty eliminating and/or the presence of blood (in this case take puppy to the Vet immediately).
Fever (dry, hot nose, dull eyes, higher body temp)
I have lots more information available for you at http://borduadogtraining.hostei.com/
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