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Training tips
Training a well-mannered
dog is about leadership (yours) and respect his. If you want your dog
to behave perfectly for someone else, have someone else train him. If
you want him to respond obediently to you, YOU need to learn to manage
his behaviour yourself. Earn your dog's respect by being a confident,
competent leader that he can look up to. He will automatically be more
attentive and obedient. A strong leader is exactly what a dog is
looking for - someone to trust and follow. While obedience training and
specific commands can be useful in creating your leadership image, they
are not critical. Even if you don't have time to go to classes or
practice, you can still develop leadership skills and control of your
dog's behaviour.
Consider these tips when you
are training your dog:
Determine
What You Want
Which of your dog's behaviours
are acceptable, which unacceptable? Bring the family into the
discussion, but don't be afraid to set high standards
Communicate
the Rules
When your dog breaks one of
your rules give a loud, stern "NO!" and let him know what he did was
unacceptable. When he stops the bad behaviour, immediately reward him
with a happy "YES!" and plenty of additional praise. By discouraging
bad behaviour and rewarding good behaviour, you communicate your rules
and mold your dog into what you want him to be. This is how wild dogs
learn the rules of their pack.
Be
Consistent
Don't change the rules. If Dad
doesn't allow Spike on the sofa, there's no reason Rover should be
allowed to. Don't change the definitions. If your command for lie down
is "Down", don't use that command when your dog jumps up on you. Use
another word, like "Off".
Follow
Through
Enforce the rules - always. If
you tell your dog to do something and he walks away instead, go get him
and insist that he comply. If you don't follow through, your leadership
will be fatally undermined.
Don't
Get Angry, Stay In Control
When your dog disobeys, don't
get angry. Anger is a loss of your own emotional control, and a true
leader never loses control. At best, anger will confuse your dog; at
worst, it may result in confrontation. Calmly take control of yourself
and your dog, correct your dog's behaviour, and then praise him for
getting it right.
Have fun
The most important thing
to remember when training any dog is to have fun when doing so,
If your happy then your dog will also be happy, this will make the
training a lot easyer on you and your dog. not only will it be easyer
on your dog, but the training will be a lot quicker.
Call us
Tel Office: 01792 883395
Mobile: 07798 500390
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