Did you just get a dog or are you ready to get one? Keep reading to understand the 12 simple basic tricks and tips on how to train your dog.
Contents
Introduction
Are you a new dog owner or ready to get one? Regardless, training your dog is important to keep your sanity as well as creating good communication between you and your furry friend. Many people love to get dogs for their pet because they make for a loyal companion. However, when your dog is not properly trained they are most likely to cause destructions in your space with their savage behaviour.
It has been said that, in the first 18 months of a dog’s life, they go through eight developmental stages that we go through as humans in 21 years. Each week that goes by is like another window of development.
This is why it is important to give the right foundation of basic behavioral training to help your dog take the right direction. Having a dog always makes our life more fun and exciting. However, having a trained dog makes it more amazing as they really bring out the best as man’s best friend.
Dog Training
In the beginning, dog training can be a pretty overwhelming experience especially if it is your first time getting a dog or teaching one. But, as you go about it, you will eventually get to enjoy the journey and understand your furry friend at a much deeper level.
Studies have shown that socialized dogs are less likely to cause any behavioural problems. Dogs are extroverted in nature, with proper training, they will learn how to be more socially active in a healthy way.
To train your dog, there are some basic training commands and dog tricks that every dog should know of; such as, come, sit, down, stay, heel, off and no, these are also called as the 7 basic dog commands.
11 Basic tricks and tips to train your dog without spending hefty amount of money
Training a dog is never an easy task and hiring a professional dog trainer or an animal behaviour can be quite expensive and browsing through the training aids in the pet section can be quite a hassle. But don’t worry; you don’t have to spend a ton of money to correct your dog’s behaviour now.
#howtoTrainYourDog
Here are some great tricks and tips which you can follow to teach your dog:
1. Positive reinforcement
This method was popularized by professional trainers like Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz who also trained the Obama family’s dog Bo. [s]
So, basically the theory behind this training is that, you have to reward your dog with treats for every good behaviour. Bad behaviour is often not rewarded or acknowledged and this is how you can correct your dog’s behaviour.
You need not use harsh punishments which may physically cause harm to your dog. You can just refrain from giving them treats or take away their favourite toy for some minutes.
For the treats, you opt out of store-bought treats and use tiny pieces of homemade unseasoned cooked chicken or any other meat sources during the training sessions.
2. Quality time with your dog
Spending quality time with your dog everyday will increase its interest in the overall behavioral training. You can spend time by taking a walk in and around the neighborhood. Getting exercises with them by playing fetch and just about anything else which you normally do with your dog.
Doing these activities every day will not only help your dog listen better but also make the bond stronger between you and your dog.
3. Train your dog with love and authority
When you train your dog you have to combine strictness and being gentle as well. You have to be strict enough to let them listen to you. But not excessively strict enough to let it be scared of you. #trainYourDog
You can be all cuddly with your dog. However, allow them to feel your authority and make them understand that your commands are to be followed. Let them know that you are the leader. Dogs especially the German Shepherd breed works in packs with a leader. Therefore, if they can’t get the sense of you being a leader, it will itself take the leading role.
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4. Start them young
There is a saying that goes, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. This may not necessarily mean that an adult dog once grown up loses its ability to learn. It is not true, some dogs can still learn tricks even if they are a few years old already.
However, it is always so much better and convenient to start training dogs when they are young. At the very least by the time they reach 12 months.
But don’t start them too young like when they are 2-3 months. This is because it can make the task tougher for you since they are most active and hyper at this stage. The ideal age of when you should start training your dog is from 5-24 months.
5. Get a clicker for your dog
Clicker training holds more or less the same principles as that of positive reinforcement.
These are devices that signals to your dog with a sharp loud noise or frequency to behave or stop barking uneccessarily. These sounds or frequencies can usually be detected only by your dog.
As dogs react quite well to sounds, clickers work great all throughout the training. Another advantage of making use of the clicker in the training is that it gives the signal at the exact moment the behavioral trick is finished. This method of training is also used and recommended by many professional dog trainers. It can help the dogs learn new tricks quickly. Moreover, it enables them to master the basics to complicated tasks and tricks.
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6. Discourage and control unnecessary barking
Although barking is natural and is a dog’s way of alerting the owners of any intruders, barking unnecessarily for no absolute reason can be really annoying and cause disturbances in not just your house but in and around the neighbourhood as well.
If your dog starts barking without any reason, try to ignore the noise until it stops and reward them with verbal praise. This is because most of the time they are just barking for attention. Therefore, when you yell and shush them to be quiet, they will just keep barking enjoying the attention it got from you.
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7. Heel training
Heel training normally has to do with teaching your dog to follow your directions on a leash. You can accomplish this training by taking your dog on a walk on a leash.
As most dogs dislike being on a leash, they try to pull away while on a walk. However, as the trainer of your dog, you should not take another step when it starts pulling.
Let it come to your side and focus its attention on you. Also, try changing your direction and walk in the opposite side to make your dog come to you.
When it does so, you can praise or treat them. Also, it is important that you use verbal command consistently when you are teaching your dog heel training.
8. Avoid raising your voice while training
Refrain yourself from raising your voice while training. If you rarely raise your voice, you will get your dog’s undivided attention when you meet situations where you will really need to yell.
On the other hand, if you always yelling and being loud at your dog, it will just ignore the sound and tune it out. Hence, making it really hard for you when you need to keep the situation under control.
9. Teaching your dog to respect the boundaries
Training your dog to wait at doorways and to respect the threshold boundaries is really important. If your dog runs out the door every time it opens could be very dangerous for them. When you go out with your dog, always put it on a leash and give a wait command before stepping through.
Also, teach them to sit in the threshold and make the dog wait while the door is being opened. Make sure they don’t carelessly cross the threshold until you loosen the leash. You can continue this training with the leash on until it becomes more familiar with your commands.
10. Crate training
Crate training is often misunderstood as a means of cruel punishment for your dog. However, this is really important and a useful way to manage your dog’s behavior, when he is unsupervised for long periods of time.
You can start teaching them to use the crate from when they are young. This makes them more comfortable and familiar for them.
It will be extremely helpful when you have to travel and stay separated on flights or public transportations especially if you don’t have an ESA letter. You can get an ESA letter for your pets in 3-easy-steps here today!
11. Potty train your dog
Learning how to potty train is one of the most important steps of basic training of your dog for a long happy life together. Very few people are willing to put up and adjust with a dog that makes a stinky mess every time it is inside the house. This is why potty training is really important for the owner and most importantly for the dog as well.
This training should always start young. Check on your dog’s diet and try to keep a consistent schedule, this include feeding, exercise and taking them outside. You can begin this training by making use of a crate. Get a size that is neither too big nor too small. Just the size big enough for them to sit, stand, lie down and turn around. By using the crate, if your dog feels the urge to pee or poop, it will let you know by being restless and whiny.
Try to take them to a place where they are familiar and easily accessible. Also, avoid changing the location too often as they may start to make a mess out of everywhere.
Why is it important to train your dog?
Training your dog is important for several reasons as it provides mental stimulation to keep your dog healthy and happy. However, combining the training sessions with morning walks and exercises will make your dog physically and mentally tired. It might also cause them to sleep during the day. So, to avoid that, take them out only in the evening for a walk or so, after the training session is over.
When you train your dog, it automatically builds up their confidence, provides mental stimulation and also strengthens the bond between you and your dog to a deeper level. So, why is it really important to train your dog? It is because; dogs explore their surroundings by using their nose, mouths and paws, which is normal to them.
However, if these normal behaviours are not trained and used inappropriately, they can cause destructive troubles in our space. Say suppose, if your dog is untrained, it will most likely pee or poop anywhere and everywhere it wants.
It can also try to run out every time you open the door. This can be pretty dangerous as it can get into accident. Dogs who lacks training also lacks discipline. They also bark at everyone and anywhere even when the owner tries to quiet them. And, they often don’t listen even if the owner is yelling.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the whole point here is that, as dogs have no concept of right and wrong, it is up to us, the humans to teach them the basic right concepts. And the key to achieve the satisfactory results depends on how much time and efforts you put in. And, it also depends on how consistent you are with the training of your dog. In the initial stage, it may be difficult and frustrating especially if it is your first time getting a dog or training one.
However, try not to lose your patience. Because as they say, ‘all good things take time’. Therefore, the training process may be hard but your efforts and dedication will pay off at the end of the day with an amazingly well-trained and behaved dog.
FAQs [Frequently Asked Questions]
At what age should you start training your dog?
The most ideal age to start training your dog is from 5-24 months.
What is a clicker?
A clicker is a small device that produces a distinct click sound when you press the button.
How does clicker training works?
Clicker training is a type of training that relies on the use of a device that makes a sharp loud noise like a whistle or as the name suggests, a clicker to signal the dog when the wanted trick or behavior that you were teaching is accomplished.
Is treat reward training considered good for my dog?
Rewarding your dog every time he accomplishes a good behavior is good as it can encourage your dog to do better again.
Why is crate training important?
Crate training is often misunderstood as a means of cruel punishment for your dog. However, using this is important when you leave your dog unsupervised for long periods of time and it also helps with the potty training.
How can I bond with my dog?
Many studies have shown that, spending quality time with your dog by taking it out for a daily walk or getting exercises training together helps in building a stronger bond between you and your dog.
Should I be tough on my dog while training?
You can be strict enough to let it obey your commands but not too strict and tough to let it be scared of you. It is important that you train your dog without physically punishing them.
Read these 7 tips on how to keep your dog happy!
