The Art of Training

Don't let your dog train you! Use these tips to help turn your pet into a responsive and obedient member of your family. Dogs are a big responsibility, but once they have been trained successfully, they serve as priceless, loving companions. Follow the simple strategies in this article to turn your dog into a best friend.

Reward your dog for obeying you, but only occasionally. Rewards like treats and excessive praise can be useful tools when training your dog. Just be careful that you do not condition them to expect this every time they do as they are are told. Reward them for following instruction, but do so randomly.

You must enforce any command you give when training your dog. Giving a command that you are not confident in or not willing to follow through with diminishes your role as leader. Do not ask, beg or scream. Give firm commands in a dominant tone and expect the dog to give the appropriate behavior. Your dog will see you as a true leader when you follow through.

Play with your dog often. In order to train your dog efficiently, it is important to develop and nurture a bond between the two of you. Make sure you are taking the time out of your day to play with your dog. It will be fun and stress-reducing for both of you.

Teaching a dog to know its name is the first dog training task a new dog owner should undertake. The name is used in calling the dog and just in getting its attention. Therefore it is more appropriate to choose a short and easily enunciated name than a longer and more confusing one.

The key to potty training a new puppy is consistency. Remember that when he is with his mother, he can relieve himself whenever he needs to, so it will take some time for him to learn that he must wait for someone to take him outside to go to the bathroom.

You should make sure to eat your own meal first before feeding your dog. This shows your dog that you are leader of the pack and helps establish your dominance. Your dog will be much more likely to follow your other commands if he or she knows that you are the boss because you eat first.

If you can stick to the tips in this article, your dog will show improvement. Training your dog can be an enjoyable part of ownership. It will be difficult, frustrating, and dirty at times, but if you keep at it, your pooch can learn to be a pleasant and helpful companion.