Becoming a dog owner isn’t an easy task. You need to ensure that you’re providing proper care to your pet and ensuring that it behaves well inside your house. There are times when untrained dogs wreck furniture or appliances at home because their owners can’t discipline them.
If you want to maintain a peaceful home, you should start teaching your dog commands and proper behavior inside the house. This way, you can set limits to where your dog can stay and what things shouldn’t be touched.
Proper training will help improve your pet’s obedience towards you, which can prevent accidents or bad behavior. Disciplining your dog will also help keep it under control in the presence of strangers. You don’t want your pet to suddenly attack or chase random people when you go for a walk or when you entertain guests at your house.
How To Start?
You should start dog training while your pet is still young since it’ll be easier for you to handle them. However, owning an older mutt shouldn’t stop you from spending time to teach it proper behavior. Here are some great first steps:
- Before you begin dog behaviour training, you should find a place free from distractions like noises or toys. You want your pet to pay attention to the tasks you’ll do, so remove anything that may interfere with your session.
- Start by teaching simple tricks like sitting or staying in one spot. Use verbal cues when instructing your dog to do something, and don’t force them too much. If you see that your pup no longer wants to pay attention, stop the training and try again on a different day.
- Whenever you see progress or your pet succeeds in following your commands, give them a treat. This will help them recognize that following instructions will result in rewards.
The first few days of training will be difficult for both you and your pet since it’ll be a new experience. However, as long as you teach your pet properly, you’ll soon see an improvement in their behavior. It’s essential to train your dog to do the following since it’ll help keep a good relationship and a better living environment for the two of you.
Basic Dog Tricks
Teaching tricks like ‘sit,’ ‘stay,’ or ‘come’ is common for pet owners. This helps them control their dogs at home, especially when they’re too active. Knowing these commands will also help you train your dog for more complicated tasks. You can use basic orders to keep it in line and help improve its behavior.
Eating Time
Aside from tricks, you should also teach your puppy when to eat. Pets can end up getting spoiled if their owners don’t discipline them during meal times. They can become picky when they realize that food will always be given to them.
If you want your pet to eat what you provide them, set proper meal times. Serve the food and take it after 30 minutes so that your pup will know that if they don’t eat, they’ll starve. Once they know that there’s no other choice but to finish what’s in the feeding bowl, they’ll eat whatever food is served.
Behavior Towards Other People
Dogs can also feel threatened when they see someone unfamiliar. You don’t want your guests to get attacked when they visit your home, so you should train your pet on how to behave around other people. Different dog breeds have different personalities, so if you want to have an easier time with your pet, take care of quiet breeds that are more reserved.
Of course, no matter what breed your canine companion is, you can always improve their behavior through training. It’s important that a dog knows how to handle guests in your house or strangers they encounter on the streets.
You can help your canine get used to people’s faces by bringing them outside often. This way, they’ll be more friendly towards others. You can also teach them verbal cues to recognize that the person in front of them is not a threat.
Leash Training
Owning a dog requires you to go for walks so your pet can get some exercise. Of course, you can’t do that without a leash since you never know what you’ll encounter when you’re walking outside.
Many distractions can catch your pet’s attention, so using a leash to hold them back is essential. Starting your leash training will take time since most pets aren’t used to wearing something on their bodies.
You can start by introducing the harness to your dog at home. Try to put it on for a few minutes until it becomes more comfortable. Once you notice that it doesn’t bother your pet anymore, try to practice walking in your backyard. Don’t tug the leash too tightly since it can hurt your pet. Go for short walks and observe how well your dog can behave in public. Once they get used to walking around your neighborhood, you can spend more time outside without worries.
Benefits of Training Your Dog
Training your dog will help you live harmoniously with your pet. You’ll develop a stronger bond with your pup and will also make it easier for you to control them inside your household. You don’t have to worry about them behaving poorly or becoming too burdensome to take care of. It’ll also prevent them from developing bad behavior that may affect not just you but the people they meet.
Training will also prevent your pup from getting bored at home. Practicing tricks will entertain both you and your pet and will also make it more intelligent.
Final Thoughts
You should establish your dog’s obedience as early as possible. If you don’t, you may end up having a hard time raising them. Remember that taking care of your pet involves providing for their needs and ensuring that your furry friend grows up with good manners.
Keep in mind that dog training will be a lifelong process that requires you to practice continuously. By teaching your dog how to behave, you’ll be sure that you won’t encounter behavioral problems with your pet in the future.