Conducting so much research prior to getting a dog was an overwhelming process, deciding which breed is best for you and your family and what changes to your lifestyle you may need to apply to give the best care to your best friend. However, you have made it – you now have a dog, so the real work begins here.
Dogs are great companions, although they are rarely born this way. You should not expect to have a dog who will behave nicely and respectfully without some effective on-going training. Training your dog basic obedience like to sit, wait and to come to you when called enables you to develop a healthy relationship and it provides them the freedom to do the things they like to do, like running off the lead and coming with you to meet friends and family while being safe and under control.
You can decide to invest in hiring a private trainer or to do it yourself. Although training is a bonding experience between the dog and owner, it can understandably be very difficult for an owner to train a puppy without prior knowledge or experience; Despite the many guides available with great tips which you can view some examples at TreeHousePuppies.com. So hopefully, this information will support you in finding the best training method for you and your puppy.
Set Rules
The number one tip is to consider the house rules. Before your dog even arrives, you should ponder what the god can and cannot do in the house. Remember he will not know this instantly, the dog will have to be taught this overtime. Rules you should consider, for example, is if the dog is allowed everywhere in the house or are there any restrictions, such as bedrooms. Dogs are likely to sit on sofas with their owners or lay on rugs, you should also consider if this is something you want to avoid. If you know the rules early on, it will make it easier for you to train your dog and avoid confusion for both of you.
Dog’s Private Space
Hopefully, this is something that you have considered prior to making the decision to get a dog. A dog will need his private space, a room of his own, which is often a crate. As soon as possible, you should designate a particular space of the house as the dog’s space. This will be where your dog will sleep so that he knows he is not expected to sleep anywhere else and will also provide him with a period of being alone and comfortable.
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Coming to You When Called
You must teach your dog to come to you when called. This will be the very first command to be mastered, as once the dog recognizes his name and easily comes to you when you call then you have established your alpha status and this will be reinforced. When he comes to you, you should make a big deal of this using positive reinforcement such as saying ‘good boy’ or even giving him a treat. If this is well taught, your dog should be coming to you when you call even when he is busy with something more interesting.
Reward
A well-researched method of discipline is positive reinforcement. You must reward your dog’s good behavior with positive reinforcement. This means you can use treats, toys, or saying the words ‘good boy/girl’ while you pet your dog. Whatever you choose to do, let him know when he has done something right. Equally, you must never reward bad behavior as this will cause confusion.
Stay in the Moment
You need to be aware that dogs live in the moment, in order for them to make the association between what they have done and the consequence, you need to practice your training techniques at the moment, particularly when the dog has done something negative. Consistent repetition will reinforce what he has learned.
Discipline
There will be moments a dog will do something bad, and you must discipline them. Just remember that the aim is to make your dog understand they have done something bad, not to make them scared or fear you. There are a few things you can do to discipline your dog in these moments. Make a loud noise to distract your dog from what they are doing and so that they focus on you. You can grab the fur under his ear on his neck and shake or even tell put your dog in time-out for a few minutes and not pay attention to him for a few minutes so that he associates the negative feelings of lack of attention to their negative behavior.
Remember that training your dog is an ongoing process. They will learn as they grow with you and it will take more than one day to teach them specific skills. Always end training sessions on a positive note and make it an enjoyable moment where both of you can bond as this bond will also reinforce the respect your dog has for you.
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