Pet owners who take the time to become knowledgeable about
their pets needs, and who build a solid foundation
of love and trust with their pet, rarely experience serious
behavior problems once training is complete.
Pet owners who fail in these areas, however, are likely
to instill
fear, confusion, lack of confidence, and even depression
in their pet.
Reading this Savvy Dog Lover article will go a long way
in helping persons
to understand the unique needs of their canine companions.
A Dogs Unique Personality
Dogs are a lot like most people. They may goof now and
then, but they
invariably try and do their best. They truly want to please
their care
givers. A sensitive dog owner will realize this.
Sensitive dog owners will also realize that, like people,
some dogs catch on more quickly than others; others are
slower to learn. Some dogs are also more easily distracted.
Some are naturally more aggressive, others more timid
requiring extra patience and encouragement during training.
Understanding your dog is vital, for both you and your
dog. This is
especially true when it comes to training.
Guidelines for Successful Training
There are ten important factors to remember if you desire
training success:
1.) Patience is critical.
Forcing a puppy or young dog to do more than he is capable
of doing, losing control and yelling or striking out at
the dog, or ending a training session on a sour note all
sabotage training success and build confusion and mistrust
in the dog.
2.) Keep training upbeat and fun for your dog.
Sessions should begin and end with success. Start the session
out by reviewing a feat or accomplishment your
dog already does well. End the session in the same way,
with plenty of praise.
3.) Structure is important, so be consistent.
Training sessions should be performed regularly. Sessions
should be timed to end while your dog is still enthusiastic
and attentive. They should last about 15 minutes for puppies,
30 40 minutes for adult dogs. Sessions should also
be conducted in as distraction-free a location as possible.
That means no audience of onlookers for the sake of showing
off your skills as a trainer.
4.) Be lavish with praise.
Reward each success with plenty of verbal and physical praise.
Not only will this build confidence in your dog, and create
a stronger bond between the two of you, but it will make
him even more anxious to please you when learning other
new feats.
5.) Never call your dog to you for disciplinary purposes.
This will only make your dog apprehensive and reluctant
to approach the next time you call. Instead, order him to
sit, and stay, then approach him.
6.) Never over-discipline.
Once a dog understands a command but refuses to obey, reasonable
physical discipline may be appropriate. Discipline should
never be violent or executed in anger; it should always
be imparted in a calm, controlled manner.
7.) Dont lock your dog into shame cycles.
When a dog refuses to comply, verbal and physical discipline
should be controlled, and reasonable. Ongoing verbal reprisals
and scolding when a dog bungles an assignment is ineffective
and will only serve to strip confidence. It will discourage
your dog and make him dislike training sessions altogether.
8.) Understand that learned behavior takes time.
Just because a dog learns the sit command on
Monday while in his own backyard, that does not mean he
will be able to carry the lesson over to Fridays day
at the beach. Dogs do not instinctively apply knowledge
learned in one setting to another quite different setting.
He must be taught how to do that; it takes repetition over
a period of time, and patience.
9.) Teach commands in steps.
For instance, before a dog can effectively learn the lay
down, command which is, in actuality, a three-step
command he must first learn the commands sit
and down (or lay down). Break multi-tasked commands
into simple steps.
10.) Factor #1 bears repeating.
Patience is critical! By working with your dog following
these guidelines you will soon discover the essence of each.
Patience combined with consistency, love, and praise for
accomplishments well done are the most important factors
of all when it comes to building trust in your dog, and
assuring training success.
Other training tips, aids, and products for pets can be
found online at www.savvy-dog-lovers.com.
© Lori
S. Anton Savvy Pet Editor
About the Author
Published writer and dog lover, Lori Anton,
has been writing for nearly 30 years. She is founder and
editor for Savvy
Dog Lovers web site which offers valuable information on pet
health, care, and training, as well as top pet products. .Lori lives in rural Wyoming with her husband,
Jeff, and their diabetic canine companion, Muffy.
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