The Best Way to Train Your Dog in 7 Steps

 

Owning a dog can be rewarding and fun, but caring for one isn’t always easy. You have to teach them how to behave in public and make sure they always listen to you, whether you’re giving them directions or asking them to stop eating your favorite pair of shoes. Training your dog at home doesn’t have to be difficult though, especially if you follow these steps from the beginning of their lives until they become an adult. The following are the Best Way to Train Your Dog in 7 Steps.

Step 1: Choose what you want to achieve

Before you start training your dog, it's important to decide what you want to achieve. Do you want a pet dog that will obey basic commands, or do you want a competitive show dog? The type of training you'll need to do will be different for each goal. If you're looking for a companion dog, then potty training and housebreaking are very important. You may also want to teach them tricks and basic obedience so they don't annoy their family members or get into things they shouldn't be near like plants, cords, and other dangerous items.

 For the competitive dog, agility and obedience competitions are the most common events they participate in with the International Kennel Club being the most well-known organization that sponsors these types of competitions. Training is much more regimented than it is with pet dogs because many people invest a lot of money into their show dogs and if they don't perform well there could be dire consequences for both the dog owner and their dog!

Step 2: Choose the right training tool

Before you start training your dog, it's important to choose the right training tool. If you're training a pet dog, you'll want to use a leash and collar. If you're training a show dog, you'll want to use a clicker. Either way, makes sure you're comfortable with the tool and that it's the right size for your dog. For example, if you're using a dog training device, such as ball, it should be large enough for your dog to pick up easily but not so big that he can’t easily get his teeth around it. Click here for the best dog training tools.

Step 3: Learn how to motivate your dog

Dogs are motivated by different things than humans. While we might be motivated by money, status, or awards, dogs are motivated by food, toys, and praise. So when you're training your dog, it's important to use rewards that they will find motivating. For some dogs, that might be a toy or a treat, while others might just want some extra attention and petting. Once you've found what motivates your dog, you can start using it to help them learn the behaviors you want. You'll need to experiment with how much reward is enough for your dog. If you give too much, then they won't respond as well anymore; if you don't give enough, then they won't care about getting the reward at all. The most common reward is food, so experiment with how much of their regular kibble or wet dog food to use as a reward - but be careful not to overfeed them because that can lead to health problems too!

Step 4: Stay consistent during training

One of the most important things you can do when training your dog is to be consistent. That means having set rules and consequences that you always enforce. This can be difficult, especially if you have kids or other family members who sometimes let the dog get away with things. But if you're consistent, eventually your dog will learn what is expected of him. You'll find it easier to teach your dog new behaviors because he won't associate them with any particular time or place. You'll also know exactly how far you can push your dog before he rebels. You don't want to punish your dog for behavior you didn't intend for him to stop doing! For example, if you tell your dog not to chew on the furniture but then one day he's chewing on a rawhide bone instead, scolding him would just confuse him more. It's better to wait until after he chews on something appropriate (like a toy) and then praise his good behavior while giving an ear scratch as a reward.

Step 5: Use treats judiciously

One of the most common mistakes people make when training dog is using treats incorrectly. It's important to use treats judiciously and not go overboard, otherwise you'll end up with a dog that only responds when there's food involved. The key is to use treats as a reward for good behavior, not as a bribe. For example, let's say you're teaching your dog to sit on command. Whenever he does it successfully, offer him a treat but be quick about it before he starts jumping all over the place. If he doesn't respond to commands at first, don't fret; just keep practicing until he catches on! Once he gets the hang of it, begin giving him a treat after each successful response so that he learns to associate sitting with being rewarded. With time and practice, you'll find yourself rewarding him less often until finally, he's just doing it because he knows it makes his owner happy - nothing more.

Step 6: Prepare for and deal with setbacks

Like with anything else in life, there will be setbacks when training your dog. It's important to be prepared for them and have a plan for how to deal with them. Setbacks can include anything from your dog not responding to a command to him biting someone. Whatever the setback is, it's important to remain calm and determine what the cause may be. Once you know what caused the setback you can figure out what needs to change. For example, if your dog bit someone because he was feeling threatened then you might need to work on his social skills or teach him how to properly greet people. If he didn't respond to a command because he was distracted by something like food on the ground then remove that distraction so that he focuses on listening to you.          

Step 7: Take time off and have fun!

You and your dog have worked hard and you deserve a break! Go out and have some fun, and let your dog enjoy some well-earned rest. After all, a happy, healthy dog is the best kind of dog. Keep up with regular checkups with your vet and continue teaching him new tricks or what he’s already learned so that he can keep learning while having fun. He’ll be happier, healthier, more obedient and easier to manage if you give him plenty of love and exercise.