Whether you train your new puppy or dog yourself, take classes, or hire a private trainer, some basic training tips should be tackled right out of the gate. Ok, hes finally home. Training needs to begin immediately, considering the new pattern on the rug, not to mention the dogs breakfast hes made of your new Manolo Blahnik strappy sandals. But where should you start? Whether you train your new puppy or dog yourself, take classes, or hire a private trainer, some basic training tips should be tackled right out of the gate. These top 10 tips from professional dog trainers at the top of their game will help get you going. Aside: When your puppy is old enough, think about getting him or her neutered or spayed, likewise if you adopt a dog. A neutered or spayed dog is more docile, less aggressive, and may be more open to successful training. Top 10 training tips Choose your dogs name wisely and be respectful of it. Of course youll want to pick a name for your new puppy or dog that you love, but for the purposes of training it also helps to consider a short name ending with a strong consonant. This allows you to say his name so that he can always hear it clearly. A strong ending (i.e. Jasper, Jack, Ginger) perks up puppy ears—especially when you place a strong emphasize at the end. If hes an older dog, hes probably used to his name; however, changing it isnt out of the question. If hes from a shelter, they may neglect to tell you that he has a temporary name assigned to him by staff. If hes from a breeder, hell come to you with a long name, which you may want to shorten, or change. And if hes coming out of an abusive situation, a new name may represent a fresh start. But were lucky: dogs are extremely adaptable. And soon enough, if you use it consistently, he will respond to his new name. New name or old, as much as possible, associate it with pleasant, fun things, rather than negative. The goal is for him to think of his name the same way he thinks of other great stuff in his life, like walk, cookie, or dinner! Decide on the house rules. Before he comes home, decide what he can and cant do. Is he allowed on the bed or the furniture? Are parts of the house off limits? Will he have his own chair at your dining table? If the rules are settled on early, you can avoid confusion for both of you. Set up his private den. He needs a room of his own. From the earliest possible moment give your pup or dog his own, private sleeping place thats not used by anyone else in the family, or another pet. Hell benefit from short periods left alone in the comfort and safety of his den. Reward him if he remains relaxed and quiet. His den, which is often a crate, will also be a valuable tool for housetraining. Help him relax when he comes home. When your puppy gets home, give him a warm hot water bottle and put a ticking clock near his sleeping area. This imitates the heat and heartbeat of his litter mates and will soothe him in his new environment. This may be even more important for a new dog from a busy, loud shelter whos had a rough time early on. Whatever you can do to help him get comfortable in his new home will be good for both of you. Teach him to come when called. Come Jasper! Good boy! Teaching him to come is the command to be mastered first and foremost. And since hell be coming to you, your alpha status will be reinforced. Get on his level and tell him to come using his name. When he does, make a big deal using positive reinforcement. Then try it when hes busy with something interesting. Youll really see the benefits of perfecting this command early as he gets older. Reward his good behavior. Reward your puppy or dogs good behavior with positive reinforcement. Use treats, toys, love, or heaps of praise. Let him know whens hes getting it right. Likewise, never reward bad behaviour; itll only confuse him. Take care of the jump up. Puppies love to jump up in greeting. Dont reprimand him, just ignore his behavior and wait til he settles down before giving positive reinforcement. Never encourage jumping behavior by patting or praising your dog when hes in a jumping up position. Turn your back on him and pay him no attention. Teach him on dog time. Puppies and dogs live in the moment. Two minutes after theyve done something, its forgotten about. When hes doing something bad, try your chosen training technique right away so he has a chance to make the association between the behavior and the correction. Consistent repetition will reinforce whats hes learned. Discourage him from biting or nipping. Instead of scolding him, a great way to put off your mouthy canine is to pretend that youre in great pain when hes biting or nipping you. Hell be so surprised hes likely to stop immediately. If this doesnt work, try trading a chew toy for your hand or pant leg. The swap trick also works when hes into your favorite shoes. Hell prefer a toy or bone anyway. If all else fails, break up the biting behavior, and then just ignore him. End training sessions on a positive note. Excellent boy! Good job, Jasper! Hes worked hard to please you throughout the training. Leave him with lots of praise, a treat, some petting, or five minutes of play. This guarantees hell show up at his next class with his tail wagging—ready to work!
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 04:50:17 +0000
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