Five Things You Should Know About Your Dog Before You Begin Training Him

There are so many different approaches used in dog training, that you may not know just know to begin. Having been a dog lover since I began to walk, I believe there are many things we need to know before we even begin the task of training.

Training a child has the benefit of a parent's instinct already instilled in us before we have the job of actual child rearing. Being the so called "parent of a dog" doesn't come with that natural instinct. We really have to determine what our dog is capable of understanding, and how to make him obey our request.

Bringing home a new puppy is almost the same as bringing home a new baby. The excitement of a new baby never goes away, even after they grow up and move out. But the excitement of a new puppy can go away quickly. They just don't seem to listen, they chew on everything, they are hard to house break, and some will bark at everything for no reason.

I've put together five things that I hope will help you in understanding the basics of dog training:
1. Don't waste time using complete sentences. Your dog only hears a few words in the command. He won't hear "I asked you to sit there", or " Stay right here, until I get back". Make it simple, and he'll understand. "Sit, Stay, Fetch, Lay Down," etc. will work best.

2. Dogs won't recognize what you are pointing at. They only focus on the tip of your finger. Pointing to a place that you want him to be, doesn't mean he is going to get there. He is only looking at the tip of your finger, you have to go with him to where you want him to go.

3. Treats can be an excellent training device. But it must be given to him immediately after following a command. Their attention span is very short. Try to use other ways of rewarding him also. Obesity is the #1 health problem in dogs. You can take him for a walk, play ball, or just give him a loving pat on the head. He really doesn't need a treat every time.

4. Avoid aggressive behavior right from the very beginning. Make him social. If you take him for walks, use different routes so he will become familiar with different types of people and places. If he sees children often, he won't fear them, if he sees men, or men with hats often, he'll become familiar with them. The same as seeing other dogs and cats. The more he is familiar with, the less he will bark at them, or use aggressive behavior towards them later.

5. Give him lots of exercise. Your dog will become anxious and sometimes even aggressive if he is kept in the house all the time. He needs to run and play to release all that. Dogs would much rather play keep away than fetch. If you can plan on daily exercises, walks, runs, or a nice game of keep away, you will find you will have a much happier and well behaved friend.

Most of all, respect him, just as you wish him to respect you. Just because he is looking at you with that blank stare, it doesn't mean he isn't trying to understand. Give him a chance, and he will obey your wishes.
I have put together a collection of numerous "How To..." articles to help in all aspects of dog training. Please feel free to visit at: http://debi-dogtraining.blogspot.com for more helpful hints.

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