Want To Train Your Fur Babies? Here's A 101 On Effective Dog Training Tips!

When it comes to dog training, there are effective ways of doing it right – whether you want them to learn how to sit, stop barking, retrieve, roll over or do anything else, there are some real keys to do it right.

Before you try to train your fur babies, you must know them well so you can achieve rapid results that will not only be long lasting, but will also help develop a strong relationship between you two.

The first step is to win your fur kid’s mind because without doing this first, you’ll only be running around in circles. When I say that you need to win your dog’s mind is that you need to make them understand that you’re the leader, you make the decisions. All pets need someone who will make decisions for them and if you fail to do so misbehavior will follow. However, you want to do this in a positive way. We believe in positive reinforcement training.

The second step is to motivate your pet, whether its in terms of exercise, play or treats and this is why it’s very important that you know your pet well so you know what they enjoy most. When you give them what they enjoy most after a training session, they will give you more focus and effort and will also look forward to being trained.

Read More Dog Training Tips Here!

As for the exercise or play, some pets love to play fetch, others like to run freely on a beach, while some like to swim. If you know exactly what they like, you’ll be able to motivate them to achieve successful training results. Thing brings us to treats, the most common way to reward your fur kid. All in all, there are 3 main ways to reward and motivate when training:

1. Food – anything from dry biscuit to a nice piece of sausage!
2. Affection – includes pats, cuddles, snuggles and lots of praises
3. Toys – fetch, chasing, or anything else that your pet enjoys doing.

If you decide to use food as reward, here’s what you need to consider:

1. Make sure you don’t give them the same food after each training. Vary food rewards whenever possible and make sure the treat fits the trick. You may use a dry biscuit for an easy trick, but need to raise the ante for something a little more challenging.
2. Do not give them food rewards all the time, you don’t want them to get used to food treats. It’s better to start out treat-heavy and as they learn, start weaning them off so they don’t expect a treat every time. Eventually, they are just doing the tricks on their own!
3. Make sure you’re using treats that are low-calorie for training. It’s easy for fit dogs to gain weight with all the treats, so consider something healthy like carrots or go for other small, training treats like these.

Lastly make sure that your fur babies practice and practice more. This is a great opportunity for you to spend quality time together and strengthen your bond. Start slow and be patient. You shouldn’t expect a puppy to stay focused for hours on end, so opt for shorter, more frequent sessions to get the results you’re looking for. The more you practice the more perfect they will become 🙂 If you enjoyed these tips, please SHARE them with your friends!

Feature Image Source: brightdog.com