How To Begin The Formal Training Of Your Dog

How To Begin The Formal Training Of Your Dog

If you have a young puppy, we recommend that you wait until hes at least 8 weeks old to begin formal training.

Before you begin the formal training lessons with a dog of any age, please plan to follow these keys to success:

1.Be patient. Each dog is unique, and can only learn at his own pace. Some dogs learn quickly; others take more time. Patience is indeed a virtue when it comes to effective dog training!

2.Be kind. This goes hand-in-paw with Be patient. Dont lose your temper if your dog doesnt get it right away, or appears to be ignoring you. Please do not punish your dog for not learning quickly enough. As a matter of fact, dont punish your dog at all. (Well be teaching you effective ways to stop or prevent inappropriate behaviorwithout punishment.)

3.Be flexible. If your dog is struggling to learn, be willing to change your training routine. The location may be too distracting. The time of day may be too close (or far from) feeding time. The length of your training session may be too long (or too short). The training exercises may need to be broken down into smaller, simpler steps. Remember, each dog is unique. Be flexible and willing to do whatever you can to help your dog succeed.

4.Be generous. Be generous with your rewards and your time. Always reward your dogs correct responses generously. Dont be stingy with the treatshes worked hard and deserves a generous reward! And commit ample time to your training lessons. Were all busy these days, but this is quality time for you and your dog. Youll both enjoy and benefit from the lessons, so make sure your schedule is adjusted accordingly!

Rewards
One of the biggest keys to success with positive reinforcement training is rewarding your dog properly. This means giving him something he loves at exactly the right moment.
Your first task is to figure out what kind of reward will best motivate your dog.

Food Treats
All dogs are unique individuals. Most dogs are motivated by food that tastes and smells good to them. Food treats can be very small, which is handy for keeping them in your pocket or a pouch to use during trainingand important to maintaining your dogs caloric intake to healthy levels. So thats the form of reward well be using throughout this training.
Be sure what youre giving your dog is good for him. But dont rely on the packing of store-bought treats to tell you Your dog will love it! Strong-smelling meat and cheese treats are usually winners, but many store-bought treats are made primarily of other ingredients. Your dog may not appreciate artificial colors, tastes or smells.

Small morsels of cooked chicken are a popular home-made treat. But keep in mind that what motivates other dogs may not motivate yours. Experiment and find out what he loves to eat.

Non-Edible Rewards
What if your dog isnt motivated by food (rare, but a possibility)? Youll have to find something else that motivates him. You may think a couple of pats on the head are a great reward, but your dog may not. He might not even like it (most dogs dont)! Try scratching his belly or some other form of petting. Again, experiment to find out what your dog loves.

Another form of reward to consider is play. Tossing a ball, playing tug-of-war, or playfully chasing your dog for a few minutes may be his idea of heaven.

The Best Reward
Let your dog show you what he truly loves. Hell do this with his reaction to the reward you offer. You just need to pay attention to how he responds. Just because he accepts a piece of kibble doesnt necessarily mean he loves it. Watch him carefully when youre giving him a treat, petting, or playing with him. If he looks away or walks away, he probably isnt all that thrilled about what youre offering. But if he gets excited, stays close and begs for more, hes showing you that he loves it and will be willing to work for that reward in the future.

For initial training, we highly recommend using a food treat as the reward. Its the easiest to work with and gets the fastest resultsjust make sure your dog really likes it!

About the Author:

With over 40 years of personal experience, and over 14 years as a professional breeder, and extensive

research over that time. Check following sites to find my recommendations for all your information's

on dog trainings.

http://www.maltesefoundation.com/
http://www.shihtzufoundation.com/
http://www.combsinfo.com/
http://www.bichon-frise-dog.com/
http://www.alaskanmalamutefoundation.com/

Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Tags: Dog training

, Dogs

, Shi Tzu

, Bichon Frise

, Maltese

, Alaskan Malamute

, Train your dog

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