How To Train A Dog
Learning how to train a dog, or more precisely how to train your dog, is all about understanding what makes your dog "tick", and creating a learning environment that works for both of you. One of the first things you need to be aware of when figuring out how to teach a dog is that he will be easily distracted. Don’t be angry with him for this, as it’s only natural when getting started, but understand them and learn how to manage them.
Manage distractions
Distractions - that is, anything that competes for your dog’s attention - can complicate your training regimen. So it’s important that you manage them.
For example, take a behavior like sitting. You might think that a sit is a sit whether you expect it in your kitchen, at the park, or on a crowded street.
But it’s not the same. Some environments have a lot of distractions. Some have few. Some distractions are … very distracting. How to train a dog the right way requires you to know and understand the difference - especially for your dog’s sake.
Maybe your dog sits beautifully whenever you are in your living room and you say, "Sit." Maybe he’ll even sit beautifully for you when you are outside in your backyard. That doesn’t mean he’ll sit when you ask him to just as a squirrel runs by.
So here’s the thing. When you start training your dog to learn a new behavior, pick a place that doesn’t have many distractions. Think boring. Later, as your dog becomes more fluent in the behavior, you can try it in situations where there are more distractions.
By managing the distractions as part of your training routine, your dog’s behaviors will have a solid foundation. When you do introduce distractions, he’ll be better prepared to handle them.
Observe your dog
Learning how to train a dog is also about observing your dogs reactions. Every dog is different. To figure out how to train your dog, you have to become a good observer. Is your dog relaxed? Aroused? Is it easy to get his attention, or hard? What rewards get him jazzed?
The more closely you watch your dog, the more information you have about whether your training is working. You’ll be better able to adjust your training so that it fits your dog. Learning how to train a dog is an ongoing process - never stop teaching him new tricks, and never stop noticing how he responds.
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