Training your dog correctly not only helps to keep your pet safe and well-mannered, but it is a fun and exciting experience to share with your pet. You can have a well-trained dog with hard work and dedication, but many people become upset and overwhelmed by the experience. A stubborn dog or a dog that lapses in training can be frustrating. When this happens, often the issue isn’t the pet itself but rather a human who doesn’t understand their dog. Below, let’s look at some essential training tips that will better help you understand your dog and how your dog learns, leading to successful and rewarding training.
Use The Right Rewards
Training your pet should always be positive and rewarding, never negative and frightening for your pet. Giving your dog rewards for a job well done is the best way to train your pup. But, understanding the correct type of reward is just as important. Understand your dog and what motivates your dog to perform behaviors. For some, a tasty special treat is proper motivation. For other dogs, simply hearing plenty of praise is what keeps them motivated. Some dogs like to hear they are a good boy, while others need physical touch like a scratch behind the ears to know they did the correct behavior when asked. Understand what your dog likes and what motivates your dog to have a more successful training session.
Keep Sessions Short
Just like small children, dogs have a short attention span. At most, don’t expect your dog to sit through training for more than thirty minutes. Some dogs will have a shorter attention span than others, and part of successful training is recognizing when your dog’s attention span is reaching its expiration point. Understand and recognize the signs that your dog is losing interest and know when to call it a day. Some dogs may start to get antsy and energetic, while other dogs may seem distracted and no longer interested in treats for rewards. Identify the signs that your dog is mentally tapped out and wrap up your training for the day on a positive note.
Know Your Dog Breed
Every dog has a different personality and is unique and special. However, the breed of dog you have will significantly impact the dog’s ability to learn certain behaviors for training. Some breeds need repetitive and consistent training, while other dog breeds will need energetic and exciting training. To have a successful training session, you need to identify and understand your dog’s instinctual characteristics that are bred into their nature. A German Shepherd will learn in a very different way compared to a Husky. If necessary, do a little more research on the best ways to train your specific dog breed to make the most out of your training sessions. The better you can connect with and understand your dog, the happier and more successful your training.
