Tips I Use Training My Dog
I really enjoy training my dog, and you should look on the experience in exactly the same way – make it fun for both of you and your dog will learn a lot quicker. So what’s next? Practice! Do numerous repetitions – when I’m training my dog it’s all about continuous repetition.
Practice in different rooms of the house. Practice when your dog knows you’re holding a treat – and when she knows you’re not. Vary the reward.
Sometimes reward a sit with a treat. Sometimes reward it with pets and praise, or by playing a game.
When I’m training my dog, or working with my clients, I never make the practice sessions long, but I do practice often. If you take a few minutes, every day, to work with your dog, you’ll make steady progress toward your goals.
Use obedience skills for control and focus
Once your dog knows a few basic obedience skills, you can use those behaviors to ask your dog to control herself, and to focus her attention.
For instance, suppose I’m training my dog on a leash walk and a squirrel runs by. Assuming you’ve worked on a sit outdoors – while walking on leash, with enticing distractions nearby – you now have a tool to keep your dog from going crazy about the squirrel.
You can use the same techniques I use when training my dog to manage your dog – to prevent her from getting too close to people if they aren’t dog lovers, or if you aren’t certain they will approach your dog properly. Having your dog sit or lie down on cue is also very useful around small children – particularly if they are carrying food!
If your dog tends to become anxious or aroused, asking for a sit or down can help redirect her attention, and may help her become more calm.
