Train the Dog Blog

When it comes to having a well behaved dog, it’s best to start when he’s a puppy. The first step is to get him to accept his collar and leash. You can begin puppy leash training almost as soon as you bring him home.

When you train your puppy to become used to a collar and leash, you are establishing the idea that you are in control. This is a really important point for your dog to understand if your training is going to be successful.

When your puppy learns that he must accept his collar and lead, you will be able to move onto other areas of dog training. Here’s what to do to teach him to accept his collar and lead.

It’s important that the collar fits properly. Too loose and he’ll back his way out of it. Too tight and he won’t be comfortable. Try adjusting it so you can slip two fingers easily between his neck and the collar.

At first when you put his collar on he’ll need lots of affection and attention to stop him from thinking about the strange thing around his neck. It will take some time for him to get used to it. After he is used to the feel of the collar you will be able to move onto the next step in your training of your puppy. Leash training becomes much easier if you give him time to just get used to wearing his new collar before trying any other training.

The next step is to attach a short, very lightweight leash to his collar. The leash should not be longer than about three feet. Allow him to just drag it around for short periods of time. The idea is for him to get used to the feel of having something attached to his collar.

It’s important to watch him carefully when he is dragging his lead around. You don’t want him to get stuck and become upset or afraid, which might happen if he gets stuck for any length of time. You want this to be a positive experience so it will be enough that he feels a slight restriction very briefly, but no more than that. So be sure to quickly free him.

It won’t take long before he gets used to the feel of his leash. When this happens, instead of letting the leash drag freely, attach one end of the lead to you. Allow him to explore and get himself stuck like before. But this time, do not go to him to untangle his leash.

Instead try to help him get rid of his distress by crouching down and calling his name. Entice him to get himself unstuck and to come to you by offering some toy or treat. Give him his treat and lots of praise when he does come to you. Be sure to continue with this every day for short periods. After a few successes each day, remove the leash from his collar, but leave his collar on at all times.

You will know that your puppy leash training has been a success when he routinely comes when called after reaching the end of the leash. With this success, the rest of his puppy training will go so much more smoothly.

After working with your new puppy teaching him to accept a collar and leash, he will be ready for a snooze. Why not provide him with a cozy heated dog bed for inside. Even in summer, he’ll find his bed a warm spot in an air conditioned home. For outside, help him keep cool with a coolaroo dog bed. Coolaroo dog beds sit off the ground allowing for air flow underneath.

If you want a well behaved dog you need to teach him how to behave. An untrained dog can make your life miserable, but you can\’t really hold him responsible for his actions. He doesn\’t know any better. But before you start on a training program there is some basic information you need to be aware of. Professional dog trainers use these basics all the time. Here are their top 10 tips.

1. Begin just as soon as you bring that new puppy home. It\’s crucial to establish routines immediately in order to avoid problems later on. For example, if your dog is not going to be welcome on the couch when he gets bigger, then don\’t ever let him on the couch as a puppy. If you want to cuddle with him, get down on the floor with him. You want the habits he learns to be good ones, not bad ones.

2. Your dog needs to know who is boss and that should be you. At the same time, it\’s important that you be fair in your treatment. Don\’t expect things from your pet that he is not ready for. But once you teach him, expect him to obey. For instance, don\’t toss him a scrap from the table one day and then scold him for begging for food another time.

3. Collar and lead training is one of the most important things you can do to have a well behaved dog. Start in on this as soon as possible when your puppy arrives to make training much easier and more effective.

4. When training your dog, have fun with him and reward his accomplishments, no matter how small they may be. Rewards can be treats, a scratch on the head, or praise. If he enjoys what you\’re doing with him and can look forward to being rewarded, you will accomplish a great deal in a shorter time frame.

5. Patience is a quality that every single good dog trainer needs to have, and lots of it. Progress should be measured in very small steps. Your dog will not learn and remember overnight. It takes lots and lots of practice before the desired behavior will come naturally. Be sure to reinforce the targeted behavior by repeated practice and rewards.

6. There will be times when it will be necessary for you to discipline your dog. There are two important points to remember when it comes to discipline. First, don\’t ever order your dog to come when you are preparing to discipline him. Leave this word for positives in training. Instead go to him. Second, hitting does not have a place in dog training. If you hit your dog as a form of discipline, he will learn to be afraid of you. This will not work with dog training.

7. When beginning a training session, it\’s always a good idea to review what your dog has already learned before starting on teaching new behavior. Be sure to give him a reward for a job well done and then go on to something new.

8. Keep lessons short. You never want to drag things out to where the training becomes a chore. So if your dog begins to lose focus, end the lesson with a simple-to-follow command. Then give him a reward and then spend a few minutes playing with him.

9. Always teach basic commands first. Things like sit, stay, down, and come are integral for success with more involved dog training. So be sure he has mastered these commands before you try to teach him more complex commands.

10. It\’s important for the success of your training program to only give your pet a reward when he executes a command correctly. If he knows that you will reward him whether he sits on command or not, he has no real reason to sit if he doesn\’t feel like sitting.

Consistently following these tips on dog training will ensure success in training your dog. And we can all agree that a well trained dog is a pleasure to have around.

Dog training can be challenging for both you and your pet. Let him know you appreciate all his hard work with a warm, comfortable bed. A cozy cave dog bed is the ultimate in comfort. Keep his bed clean and odor free with washable dog beds and covers.