If you’re about to embark on your first journey in dog ownership, you need to prepare yourself for the challenge of training. Not only will your dog be happier if he is well behaved, you will enjoy him more if he’s not trashing your house and sabotaging your peace and quiet. You also need to consider what breed best suits your family. Not all dogs are good with young children and most of them need at least a moderate amount of daily exercise. Here are some tips to get you started when you’re ready for training:
Find 15 minutes every day to focus on teaching your dog the basics. Any longer and you’ll lose his attention. Choose one person in the family to serve as his ‘den leader’ and do the training. Once the dog has learned his lessons, he should respond accordingly to anyone in the family. Your dog’s name is a big part of his training, so keep that in mind when going through the name books. His name shouldn’t be too complicated or he might not realize that you are talking to him. Make sure that he’s looking at you when you refer to him by name the first few times.
The crate is a fundamental in training your dog, not a form of punishment. Dogs are den animals and having an area that is designated especially for them is important. You’ll want to keep your dog in the crate while you are away from home until he is completely potty trained. As den animals, dogs won’t soil their bedding so make sure the crate isn’t so spacious that there’s extra room. Start by putting him inside for just a few minutes at a time and gradually increase the time increments. If you have him sleep in the crate, keep it near the family, particularly his trainer, so he won’t feel isolated.
Leash training is another key component in creating a happy owner-dog relationship. If your particular dog needs a lot of exercise, daily walks will be a part of your life for many years to come. The last thing you want is for this time to be spent playing tug of war every time another dog comes within eye sight. Your dog should walk on the right side of your body, not way out in front of you. This way, he’ll be easier to restrain as squirrels and other temptations come into play. If you are having trouble mastering proper dog-walking form, consider taking a local leash-training class. Your vet should be able to refer you to one in your area.
Once your dog understands what his name is, the next word he needs to learn is to “Stop!” It could save his life if he ends up on the other side of a busy street or prevent injury if he’s about to tangle with another dog. There will be plenty of time down the road to teach him to show off to your friends by rolling over or fetching the newspaper.
Every 15 minute training session will strengthen the bond you are building with your dog. He’ll come to trust that you have his best interest at heart and aim to please. Be sure to end each session by repeating something that he excels at so that you can positively reinforce what he is learning. Give lots of love and even a snack or two for a job well done.
Julie Clark Robinson has written articles on dozen of subjects. Among the education related subjects she has written on are online education and California colleges and universities.
