Dog Training Basics That Everyone Should Know

Dog training can be a learning experience for your dog, but you can also learn other important things, as well. This article can help you make the most of training your dog. You will find that your time spent training your dog will have benefits for both of you, for years to come.

All dogs need daily exercise and it can be an important part of your training efforts. Daily exercise shows your dog that he is a member of the family, as well as letting him know you are a strong leader. Exercise encourages his confidence and provides you with wonderful bonding opportunities.

When formally training your dog to complete specific skills like sitting or shaking hands on command, work with them in short slots of time interspersed throughout the day. Just as humans can grow bored or even angry when being required to complete one monotonous action after another, so can dogs.

Training sessions for your dog should be fun and stress-free. Your dog will learn better, and you will be able to teach better in a positive environment. Use your training session as a bonding time with your dog and have fun. This will help you and your dog have a life-long relationship.

Think of a word you can use as a command during training. Using an affirmative word can help your dog understand they did their part and it is time for a treat.

To keep your dog from barking, you need to stop rewarding this behavior by giving him what he wants. This means paying attention to your dog, letting him inside the house or comforting him. Your dog will associate your behavior with the barking and will think that you want him to bark.

Exercise

All dogs need daily exercise and it can be an important part of your training efforts. Daily exercise shows your dog that he is a member of the family, as well as letting him know you are a strong leader. Exercise encourages his confidence and provides you with wonderful bonding opportunities.

If your dog barks and growls at strangers in your home, do this: leash your dog, make him sit, wait until his attention is on you, and hand the leash, in full view of the dog, to your guest. Then wait until the dog is calm again, with the guest giving commands as needed. This teaches the dog that your guest ranks above him in "the pack" and he must accept them. When the dog starts to react again, repeat the exercise.

In addition to regular walks and dog training sessions, you should make time to let your dog exercise for at least one hour every day. Your training will be easier and more effective if your dog gets good daily exercise. Dogs that exercise are happier and more responsive.

Nutrition

Remember how many treats you reward your dog with during the course of the day to avoid fattening him up. When trying to feed their dogs a healthy diet, many people do not count the calories in the treats. These can add up fast.

Your dog will need a diet high in nutrition to maintain his vitality and health. This means that you should be picky about what you feed your dog. Making your own dog food can help to reduce fillers that do nothing for your pet, while increasing the crude protein to a healthy and more beneficial level.

As was stated previously, dog training can be a learning experience for you and your dog. By taking the advice in this article to heart, you can ensure a bond between your dog and yourself. This time will be well spent and create a friendship that will benefit the both of you.