Separation anxiety among dogs is a common problem which most dog owners confuse with destructive behavior. If you know the right way to educate your dog, so that he realizes that sometimes, he will be left alone. Only then, will the dog understand how to cope when you are not around. This article contains a number of helpful tips to help you in your dog training efforts.
The dog, man's best friend. We've all probably found ourselves owning a dog at some point, but perhaps weren't the one responsible for training it. One of the keys to training a dog is consistency. You have to reward it all the time for good behavior, and punish it all the time for bad behavior. For example if you are potty training and your dog uses the pad, reward her with a treat each and every time to reinforce that behavior.
If your dog is misbehaving, try to determine why. It is important to work out why your dog is doing what it does. Knowing the reason for poor behavior can make training significantly easier. It is far more difficult to correct an action that you do not fully understand the reasoning behind.
Start potty training your new puppy immediately. Take the puppy to the designated toilet area in your garden as soon as he wakes up in the morning, after eating, after a nap, and before bedtime. Choose a certain command that indicates he needs to relieve himself. When he does, don't forget to praise him highly, and offer a treat as a reward.
When training, be specific about what you want your dog to do. Using vague commands like “no” tend to be ineffective. No only tells him that you didn't like what he did, but not why. If you say “no” when he jumps on the couch, he may think you wanted him to jump higher. Use specific commands like stay and sit for better results.
When teaching a puppy basic commands, start with ‘sit'. This is the easiest one for a dog to master. Hold his favorite snack just above his nose, and firmly say ‘sit'. Most dogs will instinctively sit down at this point. Offer him the treat and don't forget to praise him profusely. If he doesn't sit, gently push his rear end towards the floor. After he has been sitting for a few seconds, give him the treat, and like before, remember to praise him.
Watch what sort of activities you are encouraging your dog to do. Sometimes we may perform actions with our dog without realizing that they are training them to do something we dislike. If every time your dog chews something up you send him outside, you are teaching him that chewing something up is the key to getting outdoor time. Be careful with the actions you take, especially ones that tend to be consistent practices.
The key to successful dog training is to start them as soon as possible. No matter how old your dog may be it is never too late to get them started. While it may take a little longer, you can still achieve a great deal of success. You can start training most puppies after they are about 6 weeks old. This is the perfect time to get the ground rules setup for a calmer more obedient dog.
Go through the door before your dog, eat your own dinner first and always make sure that you win tug-of-war, by taking away the toy when you're done. This all asserts that you are the pack leader and your dog is subordinate. This will help curb other obedience problems and help in other aspects of training because your dog realizes that he MUST do what you say. It's how he's hard-wired.
Don't get discouraged when training your dog. You may start to feel as though you will be carrying around messy treats in your pocket for the rest of your life. This is not the case. As your dog learns a new behavior, he will look to rewards less often for that behavior.
When potty training your dog, be consistent. Establish one, specific place for your dog to do his business. Take him there at the same times daily (e.g. when you first get up in the morning, when you get home from work, and just before bed). Praise your dog when he does his business in the right place at the right time. If he has an accident in the house, tell him “No!” firmly, and take him out to his potty place.
Before you ever get a dog, be sure that you have everything you need. You should have: sturdy food and water bowls; a good quality of dry dog food; a comfortable bed; a crate/kennel in the right size for the dog you plan to get; and an appropriate leash and collar or harness. By having everything in place, you will avoid a lot of rushing around and uncertainty with a new dog or puppy. This will help everybody settle in better.
Firmness is essential for successful dog training. You should not be yelling at your dog all the time. Be strict only when your dog disobeys or adopts an attitude you do not approve of. This will help you develop a strong bond with your dog.
If you want your dog to stop digging, play with him in the yard. Many dogs who dig do so out of boredom and the desire to get back at their owner. Playing in the yard with your pet offers him the socialization and exercise he needs, and it is also a fun way to bond with your favorite pooch.
As was discussed in this beginning of this article, separation anxiety is a common problem with dogs that is often, misrepresented as destructive behavior. If you understand the proper way to lessen your dogs anxiety, then you will start to see positive changes in behavior. Apply the advice from this article and you'll soon see your dog showing less and less destructive behavior when you aren't around.
0
0
0
0
0
