Advice for Dog Training

Every breed of dog and every individual dog is capable of learning and being trained. The most important thing to remember when training your dog is not to compare your pet with those highly trained dogs you see on TV. It takes years of highly intensive training by professionals to get a dog to obey the way you see on television and in the movies, but nearly every dog can be taught simple obedience and socialization.

While positive reinforcement is the key to training dogs, when it comes to training puppies especially, you must teach them the meaning of "No." Puppies seek to establish dominance by nipping, and before this leads to problems with serious biting, you should firmly shout "No!" and tap the puppy on the nose. The sooner that a puppy learns it is best to avoid doing certain things, the easier he will be to train.

When handing out treats, make sure you reward specific actions. Dogs are easily confused, and they must understand they are being rewarded with food or even just a pat on the head for doing something in particular. Therefore, avoid giving dogs a treat unless they accomplish the task you are looking for, and make sure you that in accomplishing that task they have not done something else that you specifically want them to avoid doing.

Dogs are easily distracted, which can make training very difficult. When you first begin training, therefore, eliminate as many distractions as possible. Keep the animal away from dogs as well as other people, especially kids whom your dog may be used to playing with. Do everything possible reduce the number of distractions and increase the ability of the dog to concentrate on the training at hand.

Dominance can be a serious problem, especially with larger breeds. The first rule is to avoid any confrontation that you cannot win. Walk away if the dog becomes aggressive and then afterward, once he calms down, ignore him. For this approach to be successful, everyone in the family must ignore the dog. No matter how much the dog wants attention from you, refuse to give in. Later, once he is manageable, place a collar and leash on him to get him to follow your commands.

During the training period, avoid playing games of will with the dog like tug-of-war. This can easily become a test of dominance for a dog, puppies especially. You must become the pack leader in the dog's eyes, and contest games can interfere with the natural tendency of dogs to see owners in this way. Although these games may seem to be just harmless fun, they can quickly instill in the dog feelings of equality, especially when the dog can win the contest.