Bringing a new dog into your family is one of the best things you’ll ever experience. However, many people adopt young puppies, which require training.

Here are eight smart tips to help train your dog:

Be Scarce With Treat-Training

Often, people make the mistake of utilizing treats as a way to train their dogs. However, treat training means they’ll expect food in order to behave well, rather than learning the behavior of being rewarded with praise.

A great alternative is to utilize frozen dog food as a mechanism to treat your dog while training them. You don’t need a lot of food, just a small amount of frozen kibble will do the trick. Taste of the Wild is a great option for dog food as it offers a healthy alternative to the generic brands found in stores.

Acknowledge the Steps

Just because your dog isn’t fully completing the task you’re trying to train them to do doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be rewarded. Acknowledging them throughout is just as important.

Reward Calm States

It’s easy to think that completing a trick or following commands is when you should reward your dog. However, it’s also important to acknowledge and reward them when they’re in a calm state.

Otherwise, your dog will only assume the way they are praised or given treats is when they do something that exerts a lot of energy. But there is a need to reward them when they’re being calm so they know how to relax when the time is appropriate.

Remove Unnecessary Distractions

Just like kids, puppies can have short attention spans. They’re easily distracted and have a hard time focusing on a specific task. If there is lots of outside noise or too many toys lying around the room, find a space that’s a little less chaotic and quieter to practice training.

It may also be a great idea to add calming music for dogs. That’s right! Music is linked to soothing a dog’s aggressive behavior and even alleviating anxiety. This makes it easier for them to focus during their training.

Try Clicker Training

A great alternative to treat training is clicker training. While it initially begins with using treats, the sound of the clicker will slowly replace treats. So when the dog hears the sound, they’ll know to follow the command.

Train Them Immediately

This step doesn’t mean bringing your dog home and starting to work on their tricks. What it means is about training in the moment. In case you’ve forgotten, dogs can’t communicate.

If they have an accident in the house, for example, it’s important within those first moments to acknowledge the bad behavior and use corrective training. Otherwise, they’ll forget after two minutes and won’t learn what was wrong with the situation.

Handling Biting and Nipping

Puppies are extremely playful and don’t fully understand that it’s not okay to bite or nip. They think of it as playing. A way to discourage this type of behavior without scolding is through your actions.

If you make a loud whimpering noise and act as if you’re hurt, the dog will see that they’ve done something to harm you. Most dogs will be surprised and will stop the behavior immediately.

Another idea is if they’re starting to nip at you, put a chew toy in their way. This way, they know if they’re going to play or bite, it better be with a toy rather than your hand.

Always End on a Positive Note

You want your puppy to enjoy the experience of training. This way, they’ll be ready and willing to show up for you and pay attention. Always make sure to end your dog training time on a positive note. This could be with a treat or even five to ten minutes of playtime.

Originally posted 2022-02-07 18:51:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter