Dogs are no doubt man’s best friends. They are definitely fun to be with and make great companions. Sometimes, they are even considered as part of the family. It certainly feels great to be walking with a dog around either just within the neighbourhood or along the beach.
But if you happen to have a dog as worse as Marley, the dog in the movie “Marley and Me”, perhaps you’re more stressed than the usual because of your dog’s naughtiness. But why live up with a dog like Marley if you can turn your pet into a well-trained dog? The solution –master dog training. Here are some steps on how to do it:
First, be considerate. You have to remember that a dog is an animal, so unlike humans, it has a shorter attention span. You may be able to get its attention now, but a couple of minutes or so it will go back to what it finds interesting. So, try to put yourself into its situation and imagine how frustrating it could be to undergo a dog training class instead of doing more fun activities. Take note that most animals are trained easily when given treats before the training. So, before you enrol your pet in a dog training class, prepare some really good treats as rewards.
Next, be consistent. It is not good to give your pet so many instructions at the same time or worse, give up on teaching it a trick just because it is not able to get it at first. Try to be very consistent in such a way that you will start with the easiest command first like the “sit” command before going for more difficult ones. Once it learned the “sit” command, proceed to others like the “stay” or “come” command.
When giving instructions, make sure that you repeat them from time to time until your dog realizes and understands what you are trying to communicate. Again, do not give too many instructions at once for this will confuse your pet more. Take your time. Now, once your pet learned the trick that you’ve been teaching, give a reward or treat and make sure that you review the trick before jumping into another.
And lastly, of course, be the boss. It is important that your pet recognizes you as its leader; otherwise, you’ll end up having a dog that is as hardheaded as Marley. Once your pet recognizes you as the boss, it will be easier for you to make it follow your commands. However, you have to remember that being the boss does not necessarily mean that you have to be harsh to your dog whenever it fails to follow your instructions. Be as gentle as possible because this is the most effective way to gain dog training.
Mastering dog training is not as difficult as you think, right? With all these steps in mind, you are off to successful dog training. Remember: be considerate, be consistent, and be the boss.