Dog Training Sessions | Dogs are an excellent addition to your family. They are fun, lively and make your day just a little brighter! But they also require considerable time and effort when it comes to routine maintenance and disciplining activities.
A dog training session comprises of a short period of time you spend with your dog each day and work on different behavioral activities. You train your dog to respond to different commands and cues. You teach them what constitutes acceptable behavior and behaviors to avoid. Dog training sessions usually last throughout your dog’s life, but they should ideally start when you begin obedience training at a young age.
With these sessions, you can train your dog with basic and advanced commands and keep reinforcing positive behavior throughout your dog’s life. As dogs thrive on routine, schedule your sessions at a set time every day and stick to it. Whether it’s early in the morning or late evenings, don’t skip on days or cut training time short unless it’s absolutely mandatory.
Here is how to make the most of your dog training sessions.
When starting to train your dog, you need to understand how your dog’s mind works. Dogs are close to two-year-olds in intelligence. They are responsive to immediate consequences. Some breeds are more in tune with understanding words and can respond to as many as 250 words. Dogs also recognize the tone of your voice more than the word itself.
Naming your dog is probably the first thing all dog-owners do. There are certain names that dogs respond well to and are better for training. Dogs can easily recognize shorter names with strong endings. Names such as “Ginger,” “Jasper,” or “Jack” are good examples. If you got an older dog, it probably already has a name it responds to. But it’s still not impossible to change its name. A new name can represent a fresh start, especially if the dog has gotten out of an abusive situation.
Make sure your dog training sessions don’t exceed 15 minutes. Dogs that are easily distracted or young puppies probably require even may even require lesser time. If your training session lasts too long, your dog can get bored and distracted. This also results in your pooch getting frustrated and making mistakes. Sometimes dogs also have trouble focusing if they have a lot of physical and mental energy pent up. Do make sure they have burnt enough energy so they can stay calm and focus.
Dogs are most adaptable at an early age. When you get your pup, decide on what they can and cannot do straight away. This will avoid confusion for both of you later on. For example, if some parts of the house are off-limits, keep it that way from the beginning. Is the dog not allowed on the bed or furniture? Set boundaries from the first day. Being consistent with rules right from the start is key.
One of the best ways to improve your dog’s manners is by encouraging good behavior. During training sessions, we tend to focus on correcting negative behavior and forget to encourage good behavior. Dogs are constantly observing and learning from their surroundings. If they do something good and are encouraged, they will pick up on it and repeat it later on. Even if the good behavior is something mundane or quite minor, still encourage it vocally. This will teach your dog what behavior is acceptable and what is not.
You can encourage good behavior through vocal praise or by physically petting them. You can also reward your dog with doggy treats, especially during the training session. These treats can be purchased from the pet store or homemade. Boiled eggs, sausages, and pieces of cheese make great homemade dog treats.
If your puppy starts biting your hand or leg, immediately replace it with a chew toy. If your dog starts chewing on your shoe, also swap it with a chew toy or bone. This will eventually work, and your pup will stop chewing. You can also interrupt the biting by removing your hand or the shoe and ignoring your pup. They will respond to it and stop the biting act.
Another strategy to stop your dog from biting your hand is to pretend you are in pain and yell out. Many dogs get surprised and stop immediately.
Jumping to greet the owner is a bad habit some adult dogs develop. Overexcited puppies also tend to jump when they see their owners. A good way to stop jumping is to turn your back on them and ignore them until they settle down. Then you can praise them with positive reinforcements.
Your dog or puppy worked hard to learn new tricks and commands through the course of the session. Let them know that! End the day’s sessions with praise, petting, a treat, or a few minutes of playtime. This guarantees your dog will be excited about the next training session and will greet you with a wagging tail same time next day!
by Maria A Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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