We all love our dogs and their various personality quirks, but sometimes we just want them to do what we tell them, and promptly. Achieving this is a process that involves not just training the dog, but the owner too.
If you are looking for help with obedience training in Canal Winchester, OH, you’ve come to the right place. Below you’ll find several dog training tips that can help transform your pooch from obstinate to obedient.
Ask a professional
Before you begin obedience training with your dog, it would be wise to seek the advice of a veterinarian who has treated and is familiar with your pet. The reason for this is that there are many variables that could factor into what kind of obedience training would be most effective. For example, your dog’s breed, previous home, health status, personality and temperament could all affect what kind of training methods would work the best.
Start as soon as you can
Once you get the advice from your vet, it would be prudent to begin the training as soon as possible. This could mean as soon as you bring your new dog home. The reason for this is that you don’t want the dog to develop any bad habits that could be hard to break later down the line. It also helps establish consistency while allowing you and your dog to bond.
Start with the basics
When you’re just starting out, it’s best to practice simple one-word commands like “come,” “sit” or “stay.” Many people start with “come,” because it is something your dog is likely to do anyway. You can practice by saying their name, pausing for a few seconds and giving the command to “come.” When it does, you can reward it with a treat. Then you can back away from the dog, and repeat the process, hopefully conveying that obedience means receiving a treat.
Keep it short
While it is good to practice with your dog on a consistent basis, making training sessions too long can produce diminishing returns. If your dog is a puppy, they may have boundless energy and may get bored with the same repetitive tasks being given to them. You can spend around five minutes on one skill, and then move on to the next one when they get it down. It helps to segment training, because it’s easier for the dog to focus on one thing at a time.
Consistency matters
You’ve heard the saying “practice makes perfect.” But it’s more accurate to say, “Perfect practice makes perfect.” When you are trying to impress a behavior onto your dog, you must be consistent in your obedience training methods. This means that if your dog gets a reward for successfully signaling that they need to go outside, you should still give them that reward, even if it’s 3 in the morning and you’re exhausted. When using commands to teach your dog, you should always use the same commands, in the same tone of voice if possible, to drive the point home.
So, when obedience training your dog, you should ask a vet, begin immediately, give simple commands, keep training sessions short and be consistent with your methods. Doing so will demonstrate that these dog training tips are effective. When you’re ready to begin training your dog in Canal Winchester, OH, reach out to Lucky Bones Pet Resort to learn more about our classes.
