Dog Training: start young and be consistent

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Monday, May 14th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

dog training is vital, no matter how small - or large - your dog is. By teaching the animal better behavior and maybe even how to perform certain tricks, dog training turns your dog into a real member of your family.

While each breed responds to different methods, there are certain aspects of dog training that is common to most breeds. Many dogs have certain traits bred into them over years of specific breeding, such as some pit bulls, which are bred for fighting. They can be trained to be more docile, but dog training for this and other breeds must start as early as possible.

One method of potty training should begin as soon as the animal is brought into your house. It can be as simple as leaving the animal in its cage, even indoors, and when it shows signs of needing to go to the bathroom, it is taken to a specific location outdoors to do it business. If the animal is fed in the same cage in which it sleeps, it will not want to go to the bathroom there and will let you know it needs to go outside. Failure to meet the dog’s need will result in failing at this part of dog training.

Consistency Is Key To dog training

Regardless of the breed of dog being trained, consistency is the key to successful dog training. By speaking in the same voice every time you give a command and letting the dog know they have met your expectations, they will usually begin repeating the behavior whenever they hear the same command. For example, if you firmly say the word “no” and accompany it with a light swat with a newspaper when the animal is misbehaving, one or two times is all it should take to understand that when you say no, the animal needs stop the behavior.

Some people have no desire to swat their animal and opt to use a professional for dog training, however with some breeds the owner will need to take some role in the training in order for the dog to recognize their voice commands. Owners choosing to undertake dog training on their own should understand it may take a few days to eliminate the behaviors they want to change and they will need to be there every day. Otherwise, the animal may change the way they act only in the presence of the owner.

If you don’t have the time or the inclination to train your own dog, hire a trainer. It’s worth the expense to have a well behaved dog.