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General Pet is your source for advice and information for a happy and healthy pet.
Author: The Dog Training expert Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.
Starting to train your new puppy or dog can be a very stressful task if you don't know how or when to start. There are so many differing opinions on which dog training techniques are right and wrong. It seems that every where you look for dog training information, there is some new dog training advice. However, the following eight dog training tips all make continuous appearances in numerous dog training guides and still continue to do so:
1. Be careful when using your dog's name. Your dog's name should only be used in a positive situation and with a calm, enthusiastic tone of voice. Never use your dog's name when reprimanding your dog.
2. Make sure to never reinforce your dog's negative behavior, even if it's cute or funny. For example, if you laugh when you find that your dog has eaten Sunday breakfast, he or she will be more likely to jump up onto the table next time.
3. Begin your dog's training when he or she is young. It is a common known fact that trying to train a dog that has passed that precious puppy stage is very difficult. In fact, the first few weeks of a dog's life are very important for socialization; for example, learning how hard he or she can safely bite while playing. Dog training can begin much earlier than most people think.
4. Never lose your temper at your dog. Dog's will often do things that will cost us a lot of precious time and/or money. Even so, try not to lose your temper because proven studies have shown that passing anger on causes stress that will actually inhibit your dog's learning process.
5. Plan to prevent unwanted behavior, rather than focus on punishment. Any discipline after the fact won't work on your dog. Dogs respond much better to positive reinforcement for good behavior.
6. Do not give your dog impossible commands. This may sound silly, but a lot of people will confuse their dog by saying commands like "sit" and "down" very close together, when "down" means all the way onto the stomach.
7. Like life, much of dog training is in the timing. If you can catch your dog just before any undesired behavior he or she will be much more likely to remember next time.
8. Dog Training begins at home. If you can't keep your dog from chasing the cat around the house, you may have an even harder time keeping him/her from going after that tease of a squirrel in the park. Reinforce those positive "one love" relationships with your other pets and visitors, and you will have an easier time keeping tabs on them in the park
What it ultimately comes down to is that dog training is really all about effective communication. The better that you communicate to your dog the behaviors that you, the leader of the pack, favor, the more these behaviors will follow. Therefore, the most humane dog training methods are those that are focused on positive reinforcement, not on punishment. These humane dog training methods are also the most effective dog training methods.
Dog behavior problems can be solved with patience, consistent reinforcement, and an understanding of what triggers your dog's unwanted behavior. Many of our dogs act out because we are not giving them effective guidance, and pack animals like dogs have evolved to rely on strong leadership. So show your dog you're the leader of the pack, and get her back on track with my dog training advice.
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