Dog Training
You love your dog. You always try to learn as much about caring for them as you can. From regular vet visits to daily NuVet Plus pet supplements, you never miss a chance to take care of your furry friends.
They make you smile, show unconditional love, and keep you company. Many days they are the brightest part of your life. However, that doesn’t stop you from wanting good behavior from them.
Training is a big commitment, and starting off on the right foot is essential to success.
Before your canine companion picks up too many bad trends, there are four basic and manageable tips that can make any dog training regimen more productive.
Be Consistent
No matter what you are trying to teach your dog or what method you are employing, the only way to get good results is through consistency. As intelligent as dogs really are, they won’t always be able to understand the subtle distinctions that make a behavior okay sometimes and not others.
If you don’t want your dog to jump on guests, then they should never jump on you. If the dog does not understand a command, then you must stick with them and show them what you mean every time until it becomes clear.
Consistency extends beyond training. Consistent nutrition is as important for the animal as it is for you, so don’t forget to provide your pup with a daily nutritional pet supplement.
Be a Teacher
In many ways teaching a dog is like teaching children. When nuanced communication is impossible, instructions need to be simplified and repeated.
Just like a child, a dog will wear down and become bored when training sessions continue for too long. You can break up the learning with physical activity to invigorate your pet and keep the environment positive.
Another parallel is in increasing complications. When you teach a dog to stay, you begin by remaining close and keeping the dog focused on your command. As their understanding and discipline grows, you can add more distractions and give the command from farther away. All lessons should develop like this, only expecting advanced results after the basics have been mastered.
Be Positive
Just like humans, dogs react to positive reinforcement. If you focus too much on correction and things done wrong, the dog will get discouraged. However, negative reinforcement is unavoidable so try to keep positive reinforcement in mind as well.
Patience and encouragement is vital for creating an environment that makes it clear to them which behaviors are correct. Positive reinforcement does not have to be used just during training. Whenever your dog is being good, take a moment to let them know. As much as they love treats and their Nuvet Plus, even a kind word or a reassuring pat is enough to convey the message.
Be Precise
A dog’s sense of timing is different from yours, so whether you are praising or correcting, you need to time your words correctly. They won’t understand if you are praising them for something they did a few minutes ago.
Likewise, corrections need to be expressed during the undesirable behavior. Dogs live in the now, so they will always think that your actions are based on what is currently happening. If your timing is off, wait patiently for the next opportunity.
Keep in mind these key behaviors and you are sure to have success in your dog training efforts. Training your dog properly allows you both to get the most out of your lives together and spend your energy on health, happiness and fun.
If you are looking for more ways to do right by your favorite animals, feel free to check out Nuvet online. You can also follow Twitter @NuVet for helpful tips and tricks!