Knowing Basic Dog Training Techniques Makes For Easier Training
The easiest way to successfully train your dog is always to start with some basic dog training techniques. Still not fully understood, the relationship between man and his best friend goes back in time many years. Although many people will say that humans are smarter than dogs, after carefully watching you might wonder if your dog still might have the edge!
Dogs interact with the world differently than humans do. While they understand and respond to people about the same way a two-year-old would there are major differences in how they experience reality. The sensory differences include a highly sensitive sense of smell as well as the differences in responding to the visual stimulus of reds and greens. An understanding of these differences will help reduce human frustration and misbehavior by the dog.
Dogs have descended from the wolf, and as a result have a pack mentality. The expression “lone wolf” is a misnomer, as wolves and dogs are by nature social creatures, who do a lot of interaction with each other, and are ruled by a strict hierarchical structure.
Training can start as early as possible. For some breeds, four weeks is a good time to start. For the first several months, you should allocate at least thirty minutes per day, though a full hour is preferred, for training.
There are some basic dog training techniques or guidelines that all types of training utilizes.
When training your dog, you want to make it clear that you are the dominant one as early as possible. Dogs are pack animals by nature, and every pack has a natural pecking order. The top dog is the alpha. It is followed by the beta dog and so on. If you want sanity in your household and you want a happy dog who knows where he stands, you need to step up and be the alpha of his pack.
Techniques for dog training actually depends on the breed and the individual dogs itself. Just like human beings some dogs are more assertive than others. Attitude is the most important thing but you should also employ the aid of leashes, collars and commands. Always be sure that you are the one in control - not your dog.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that you have to use physical force to assert that you’re in charge. Occasionally you’ll need to use proper physical restraint, but being firm and confident will usually be sufficient for training your dog.
For puppies, try placing them into a position of submission when they are still young. Roll them onto their backs, and put your hand firmly in the middle of the chest. When they lower their paws, this signals a sigh of submission. You can go further by placing your face directly in front of theirs, emulating dominant dog behavior.
Begin by using a short leash which will hinder the dog’s natural tendency to run and play. It is essential to allow some free time for the dog to run in order to promote good health however. Initially, this time should be scheduled before or after training but not during.
Start by using short, clear commands which sound distinctly different such as sit, stay, down or come. Use a firm tone of voice but do not be harsh. Stay in charge of the situation but do not show anger. Avoid double word commands such as ’sit down’ or ’stay down’ because they sound too similar and can easily confuse the dog.
When you give a verbal command, make sure your facial expression and tone of voice are consistent and use the same hand signals. Ultimately you can separate these from one another, but initially simplicity and consistency are key.
Don’t expect much more from a two-year-old dog than you would a two-year-old human. Neither of them can be expected to understand subtle hints or inconsistent speech. Be persistent and do it the same way, every time. Don’t let the same command have more than one meaning. It really doesn’t matter if you use the command ‘down’ to mean ‘lie down’ or ’stop jumping up on people,’ as long as you don’t try to use the same word for both.
These dog training techniques combined with your patience and persistence will pay off in spades with a dog that is obedient and a fun to be around. Using these techniques will give you a better sense of understanding for your pet and will become a base of communication for a lifetime of friendship.
Source: Dog Training
