Key Concepts of Basic Dog Training
Dog training is the only way to get the most out of your pooch. It will save you from all the frustrations that taking care of a dog brings. Even if your dog is an adorable one, if they remain untrained, you might even think of giving them away. So if you want to get the most out of your dog, and have them for life with minimal problems, then it is just right to indulge in basic dog training.
Basic dog training is a series of training commands and signals that you make your dog understand and follow. The length of the training usually depends on the character and ability of your dog. If you choose to have your dog professionally trained, then you will have to invest a lot in its training. However, basic dog training can be done in your home and it just takes a few little mindful reminders in to successfully training your dog.
Basic dog training is basically teaching your dog to follow certain commands that you will give him. The way to training your dog is similar to the way a teacher helps her students understand the subject at hand. The concepts are even more or less the same; the only difference is that this time you are teaching a living thing that bases its learning from constant repetition and habitual commands. There are several concepts that can be used in training your dog and the six major concepts into doing this right are timing, consistency, praise, firmness, and fun.
Timing is an important concept because as dog trainer, you have to get the right time into praising your dog as well as correcting its behavior. Praising a dog must happen when he does what you want him to do. It will be too late to praise him or correct him if proper timing is not observed and in the end, will make training an even bigger task.
You also have to be consistent in the ways you want your dog to act. For example, if you do not want your dog to eat on the carpet, then you must not give him food where the carpet is. It will end up being very confusing for your dog if you allow him to do forbidden things sometimes because dogs only understand always or never. The consequence of your being inconsistent in the manner that you want your dog to act is that eventually your dog will lose respect for you.
Praise as a positive reinforcement is important for dogs. Dogs love being praised for the things that they do correctly so as home trainers, make sure that every now and then praise is given to your dog. Even a simple "Good Dog" will do.
Being firm in the commands you give your dog does not mean giving our harsh commands. It just implies that you have to tell your dog to do a certain thing, not ask him to do something. If the dog does not do what you are trying to tell him, then you can assist in showing him how to go about the task.
Of course, since dogs are fun loving animals, you also have to inject some energetic games in the training of your dog. Just like humans, dogs will get bored and will be stressed if there is a strict routine in training. Besides, playing with your dogs will also give you a boost of the happy hormone.
These are just some of the key concepts of basic dog training and following these concepts will surely end up with successful home training.
Have a great “dog+training’ day,
Dr. Alfonso
