Basic Dog Training Tips

The minute that you get a dog, obedience training should follow. This is the key to have a calm, obedient and disciplined dog that you and your family would cherish. And there are a few tips on how to train your dog; remember that successful basic training will not just let you train your dog to come, sit and stop barking but will also develop a strong and lasting bond between you and your pet.

Win Your Dog’s Mind

The first thing that you need to establish is your role in your dog’s training. As his owner, you will be his pack leader as well as the leader of all the dogs and pets in your home. Your dog will look up to you for guidance and care and therefore will become obedient to your commands at all cost.

A pack leader is someone who listens to his dog and will be able to help dogs adapt to certain conditions in his environment. Be calm so your dog will also feel calm and will less likely to perform disruptive behaviors.

Most dog owners fail at this point because they don’t understand what it is really like to become the pack leader. Winning a dog’s mind is not about giving in and even overpowering your dog to submission. It is about being calm, compassionate and consistent in your training so that your dog will listen to you 100% of the time.

What motivates your dog?

The next part of basic training is to identify your dog’s motivation. As there are different dogs, there are also different things that motivate them. Dogs that love to run may be motivated by toys and objects while smaller dogs may prefer getting pats, cuddles and a lot of verbal praises. You must recognize what that specific thing is that your dog wants so that you can use this to train him.

And as you discover this special motivation object or action for your dog, you can also use this as a reward for good behavior. After your dog was able to perform well in your training, you can reward him with his favorite chew toy or a high-pitched praise.

There are actually three types of rewards:

• Food reward which is anything from a piece of treat to a scrap of meat or sausage. But if you do not want to use food in our reward you can otherwise change it into a toy or signs of affection.
• Toy reward could be any object that he loves to play with such as a ball, a stick or a rope. It may also be some form of play such as wrestling or chasing him.
• Affection reward is physical and verbal affection which could be patting, cuddling or praising him after his good behavior.

Dogs learn easily when they are rewarded for good behavior. There is no need to give negative training since your dog will be very eager to do anything you want him to do.

Consistent Practice

As your dog gets it the first time, the key is to be consistent. As soon as he finishes one trick, do it over and over again until it’s perfect. Do not proceed to the next trick unless he has perfected this one. And when it’s time to introduce another trick, come back to the previous one time and again. Consistency will make your dog move and behave well.

After a while, you won’t have to reward your dog with toys and food just to motivate him. He will be able to follow you perfectly, without hesitation, and complete a trick or a task easily. All it takes is patience and consistency in training.