Free Dog Training Tips

If you have nightmares about one of your arms being longer than the other from constant leash tugging and your furniture being chewed up, you are in need of some help training your dog. Dog training can be simple and quick if you know the basics. You learn the basics and then teach your dog. Once you and your dog have mastered these basics, you will have a well-behaved dog that will love you and doing what you ask.

Training can, and should, start before a puppy leaves its mother. Pointing out the "presents" left on the floor and taking the puppy and its mom outside is a great way to start housebreaking. A firm yet gentle "down" when a puppy jumps on you or other places it shouldn't is laying the groundwork for future training. Make sure a puppy knows what is a toy and what is not. Never give a puppy or dog an old sock to play with. No matter how smart your dog is, it can't always discern old socks from new ones.

Use the same words over and over. When you want your dog to get off the couch, remember to always say "off" instead of "down" or another word. Don't confuse your dog by using the same word for different commands. Choose specific words for specific commands. Once a dog has learned the "sit" command, it can be used to redirect a dog's negative behavior. This is especially helpful when the negative behavior is new. The dog will sit, stopping the behavior and giving you the opportunity to come with a new command to stop the behavior.

Maintain a calm and gentle yet firm demeanor. Using a loud or angry tone will only frighten or anger your dog. Just as with children, when you feel the need to raise your voice, take a deep breath and lower your voice. Try scolding, redirecting and giving commands barely above a whisper level. Your dog, who is interested in what you have to say, will have to use its energy to hear you, thus calming down.

Catch your dog doing something right and let it know how pleased you are. Praise can be fun and positive, such as "good boy," "good job," and "way to go." Use your dog's name often when you offer praise so your dog will have no doubts about who you are praising. Remember that dogs can have extensive vocabularies, so any word you enjoy hearing when you do something right they will come to understand. The tone of your voice also plays a big part in this, as well.

Find out what your dog wants as a reward for good behavior and be generous with this item. Some dogs will do anything for food, while others would rather have a good belly scratch. Pay attention to your dog and its personality to learn what "payment" to render when something is done right. Use as many rewards as you like. This will keep your dog wondering what goody it will get when it does something right.