How You Can Successfully Train Your Dog   by Philip Roberts

in Family / Pets    (submitted 2012-02-06)

When it comes to dog training, you really have to put in the effort to get the results you really want. There are so many different techniques that can be used to generate success, but you have to learn what it takes to get the success you want. To start training your loyal pal, you can start with these great dog training tips.

Establish where your dog's resting and eating areas are, and don't let him take control of your home. Prevent him from getting in the habit of sleeping in high traffic areas and confiscating sofas and comfy chairs, by redirecting him to his own resting area whenever you find him in the way. Don't make a big production number of this. Just move him along.

If you leave your dog outside provide shelter. Dogs will dig to create a shelter if left outside to stay cool in the summer and to warm up in the winter. You can stop the dog from digging up the yard by creating a shady spot for him or installing a doggy door so he can go in and out of the house or garage.

To ensure a well-trained four-legged friend from the start, make sure you practice consistency in all you do once you bring your new canine companion home. This means discussing all aspects of the dog's care, needs and training with all members of your household. A dog that is getting yelled at by one family member for urinating in the house while another family member just quietly cleans up the mess serves only to confuse and frustrate the puppy. If all members of the family treat the dog uniformly, whether admonishing it or showering it with praise, the dog will learn more quickly, and all family members will have the ability to successfully command the dog with ease.

When properly training your dog, you should never use food as the sole source of control over a particular type of behavior. Food is a necessity that dogs must have in order to survive, so they need other sources of rewards. In addition to giving good, you should pet your dog and give it praise.

Effectively training your dog should always include rewarding his good behavior. By rewarding your dog with a treat, a rub, or in some other way, you are reinforcing this good behavior. This ensures the likelihood that your dog will repeat this good behavior, because it was rewarded.

If your dog has a hard time learning from your training, figure out what changes may help. If the room is not quite enough your dog may be distracted. Long training sessions may exceed your dog's attention span. Sessions that are too short do not give your dog enough time to absorb training well.

Use the bell ringing technique to teach your dog how to let you know when he has to go to the bathroom. At first, you jingle the bells when it is time to go out, and soon, the dog takes over to let you know. Dogs are attentive and intelligent, and by using this method consistently, you can expect they will make the connection and ask you to go outside by ringing the bell.

If there is a behavior you'd like your dog to be able to do on command, make sure you praise him whenever he offers this behavior. This works well for tricks that you are actively teaching, as well as actions that he does naturally. For instance, if you think it would be fun to teach your dog to sneeze whenever you ask, simply say, "Sneeze," and treat him whenever he does sneeze. Sooner or later, he will learn the association between the word "sneeze," the action of sneezing, and the reward.

Don't forget that dog training takes a bit of knowledge and even skill to get right. If you aren't giving it all you got, you are lessening the effect that you could have on your dog's obedience. Regardless if your pet is new or old, you could start training your dog today with these tips in mind.

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