Free Dog Training Suggestions

The most important thing to remember when training a dog is that dogs, by nature, are followers. Even in wild dogs and wolves there is a pack leader. A puppy will naturally look to its owner for leadership and will have a great desire to please its owner and gain his praise. Patience and an understanding of how to communicate with the dog are all that is generally required for training.

  1. Communication

    • A high or excited voice will excite the dog and is good for active commands and praising the dog. A lower, more serious tone is more effective for correcting or scolding a dog and for commands that do not involve movement, such as stay and sit. It is always better to train a dog to respond to verbal commands and gestures than physical touch. For example, pushing lightly on a dog's chest while pressing down on its rear is a good way to get them to sit; however, unless an owner wants to do that every time, the dog needs to learn to respond to the word alone.

    Timing

    • Dogs, especially as puppies, have a limited attention span. Although regular training is essential to their learning and training daily is important, a dog's ability to learn will go down toward the end of a long training session. Dividing training up into several short sessions at regular intervals throughout the day will allow the dog to learn while keeping it interested in training. Again, it is important to train every day, at least initially, so the dog won't forget what it has learned.

    Consistency and Patience

    • It is important for an owner to remind himself that the dog wants to make him happy. This will help with the patience that is required for training. While eager to please, puppies are energetic, have short attention spans and can become easily confused. As long as the owner is consistent, patient and does training exercises regularly, any dog can learn a great deal. Consistency is another key principle. Changing commands, training schedules or changes in the way the owner responds to situations will confuse the dog.

    Reward and Punishment

    • Dogs should not be punished violently when they do something wrong. Because they naturally want to please, learning they have displeased their owner is frequently punishment enough. Using violence may cause the dog to fear its owner, making it less responsive to commands, or it could cause the dog to become violent in certain situations. Using treats and praise are very effective for training. They will make training time fun for the dog and make teaching more effective.