Saturday, February 13, 2010

How To Get Started With Dog Training

By Bella Smith

A well trained dog is like a well-behaved child. They are wonderful! The same applies the other way round ' an untrained dog is like a disobedient child. They can cause havoc! That's why it is important for every dog owner to do some simple dog training.

Many people incorrectly believe that not every dog can be trained. This is not the case. All dogs can be trained. Certainly, some are harder to train and others are easier to train. The success rate depends largely on the trainer's skills and experience.

A dog that is trained will be happy, relaxed and secure. All dogs instinctively like to follow commands, and they will always turn to one person as their leader. This is how they behaved when they used to live and hunt in packs. One dog was always the leader, or the 'alpha'. You will need to take on this role with your dog.

The first step is to teach your new puppy or dog their name. When a dog knows his or her name, they will react each and every time you call. This will form the foundation of subsequent training.

Once your pooch is responding well to his name, you can teach him the command to 'come'. Hold a treat in your hand and let him sniff at it, but don't let him take it. Back away a bit and say, in a firm command, 'Blackie, come!' Give him the treat when he comes to you. Every time you do this, go back further. Praise him profusely each time he obeys.

Use the same method when you teach 'sit' and 'stay'. Always talk in a firm tone whilst giving a dog commands so he or she can identify the varying tones of your voice. Your dog will soon learn when you are playful or when you mean business! Praising is essential because every dog want to please his or her 'master'.

Don't get too carried away with treats. They are necessary tools in the early phases of training, but too many treats may cause the dog to obey your commands just because there's a treat to follow. The dog will learn that if you are obeyed, his or her reward is praise and love. Never give your dog treats outside of training sessions. This can cause confusion.

If you want to enter your dog in shows or training competitions, you should seek some professional help. Join a training clinic where you can learn all the formal requirements that go with dog shows. You can get lots of information online about this form of dog training.

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