Dog Training Tips
Dog training tips can come in handy when you first bring home your new family member. It is a very exciting thing at first. If they are puppies, you may be temped to cuddle and swoon over them, because they are so cute and adorable. That is ok for a few minutes, but don’t let it continue. (This is really important to having a well behaved dog). I know; I learned the hard way. Right after feeding and giving them clean water, the most important issue is to set the house rules right away and stick to them.
You have probably heard the statement that dogs work on the ‘pack system.’ This means that your new dog will look around to find a leader in your home. That should be you. If it isn’t, sooner rather than later your dog will take on the leadership role. When this happens you can quickly have problems. A dog that thinks it is the boss, will not obey, may become aggressive even with you and will become difficult to live with. Below are some dog training tips to help you be the boss in your home.
How to Establish a Leadership Role
- You and your family should always eat first. (the leader eats first)
- Feed your dog at a set time each day. Don’t allow them to free-feed.
- After preparing your dog’s food bowl, make them do something to earn their food. That could be making them ‘Sit’ or any other command you want to use.
- Don’t let your dog get up on the furniture unless they are invited up. (getting on furniture is the leaders privilege)
- Don’t play tug-of-war games with your dog. They will usually win and this makes them feel like the boss.
- When playing fetch, make them bring the ball back to you and drop it. Do not try to pull it out of their mouth. (they must give it to you) More on fetch later.
- Never play rough house games where they run and grab any part of your body or clothing with there teeth. They will begin to look at you as a playmate not a leader. Also this can teach them that it is ok to grab people with their teeth.
Before Bringing Your New Dog Home
Before you even go to pick up your new dog and bring them home, there are some things that you must do. You will need to purchase a dog crate. This will be your dog’s new home within your home. I used to think that crate training was cruel and unusual punishment for a dog. Again, I learned the hard way, that this is the best way to do dog training in your home.
There are basically two main types of crates to use for dog training:
- Wire Crate: This crate is usually the best type of crate to use when training your dog. They can see out and feel like they are a part of the activities going on when they are inside.
- Plastic Crate: This crate is best used for traveling with your dog or for a dog that is highly excitable or scared and needs to feel more secure in the crate
Along with the crate, you will need to get a feeding bowl
and a water dish. Decide on the type of food you will feed your dog and have it
all ready to go before your dog comes home. If they are not potty trained you
may want to pick up an extra supply of paper towels. To learn about other dog training tips follow the links below.
Dog Behavior Problems
Aggressive Dog Behavior-Dog Aggression
Barking Dog Problem
Basic Dog Training
Clicker Training
Dog Agility
Herding Dogs
Hunting Dogs
Traveling with Your Dog
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