We cherish each moment that we have with our loyal furry pals and we treat those moments as treasures. However, when unwanted situations arise due to their unwanted behavior, things get a little frustrating and hard to deal. This is why you should consider dog training. Training your dog is not only beneficial to you and your family, it is also beneficial to their safety and their environment.
Since we treat our lovely furry companions as family, think of them as a child too. A child needs guidance, consistent directions, and instructions through training. Those things mentioned are a necessity for pups too. According to animal experts and dog trainers, training is a vital component of a dog’s life because it gives them the ability to develop and interact with their environment in the safest way possible.
When you think about training, just keep in mind that it will result in diminishing your dog’s destructive behaviors like chewing on random house objects and destroying things that they see.
HOW DO I BEGIN WITH DOG TRAINING AT HOME?
A lot of dog owners think that training requires professional help or they cannot train their dogs inside their homes but it is actually not the case. You see, dog training should begin as early as possible and home should be considered as their first training ground and the first teacher should be the owner.
According to experts, training shouldn’t be delayed and as an owner, you need to start teaching them basic obedience commands as early as seven to eight weeks of age. These basic commands should include vocal cues such as “sit,” “stay,” “up” and “down.” In this stage, you need to be very patient since young pups have very short attention span, a reward-based training would be very appropriate for this stage but remember to not spoil them with rewards because they would display a future attitude of following instructions because of the treats and not because it is right and appropriate to do.
The great thing about dogs is that they learn on every experience that they have so take every moment as an opportunity to teach them basic commands, and if they’re old enough, basic tricks and proper behavior.
Apart from their short attention span, dog’s attention can be hard to catch as well. In this case, a food lure method and other reward-based training may be appropriate as long as you control yourself in giving them the rewards.
Most dog experts also recommend using a clicker device that is very effective as it is based on a very famous psychological theory by B. F. Skinner which is called the Operant Conditioning. To give you a gist about Clicker Training, it is a type of training accompanied with a clicker device. This is a positive reinforcement training that “marks” and “rewards” the dog’s imposed attitude by clicking the device. The produced sound is an indication that the dog did a great job which will encourage them to follow your commands more often. Moreover, this device is 100% dog-friendly and does no harm to your dog.
IF YOUR DOG IS OLDER THAN THE RECOMMENDED TRAINING AGE, DON’T BE AFRAID BECAUSE YOU CAN STILL TRAIN THEM. ONLY THAT IT REQUIRES MORE PATIENCE… AND A LITTLE BIT OF TREATS.
The Benefits of Dog Training
1. More bonding opportunity for you and your dog:
Training is an additional time to spend with your beloved furry bff so never miss that chance! Moreover, a dog with a good attitude is easier to manage which means you’ll want to spend more and more time with them due to the satisfaction and pleasure you get from it (according to research).
2. It provides a safer environment for your dog:
Training your dog can mitigate a lot of their negative and destructive behaviors. Teaching them which is fine to play with, fine to eat, and which aren’t is a whole lot safer than not teaching them at all. Why? Because teaching them is conditioning them that those objects shouldn’t be played with because it can choke them or it can be easily destroyed. Moreover, it will give you more peace in mind knowing that they’re not chewing or eating something random that they see.
3. Easier to go out for a walk with them:
If you want a hassle-free outdoor adventure with your dog, training is the foundation. Apart from teaching them basic training such as following vocal cues, you should also consider teaching them to be innocuous around other dogs and other animals, as well as with other people. We’ve seen so many dogs outside showing inappropriate behaviors even though their owner is just right beside them. Those situations are just embarrassing and frustrating. So in order to avoid those awkward moments, training is the key!
Of course, you shouldn’t forget to leash train them as well because it can make them feel more comfortable with it and it’s easier to control them when they’re well-equipped.
4. Friendlier and more sociable dog:
Training is not just about teaching them proper attitude and good behavior, it is also about teaching them to create contact and bond with people, especially their companions, not just their owners. A friendly dog is a happy dog. It makes them more trusting to their environment and more loving to their fellow dogs… and even cats. It’s also easier to take them to the vet this way!
5. What you’ve learned about dog training can be passed on:
Basic dog training, leash training, clicker training, and other forms of training can begin and be done at home. Different dogs may have different attitudes and behavior, but they have similar neural stimulus which means training theory and experience can be used for different dogs and the knowledge you’ve acquired can be passed on to your fellow dog owners so that they can apply the lessons to their dogs as well.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Dog training isn’t just done by professionals, it can also be done by YOU knowing that you’re their owner… and you should be their first teacher. This would strengthen the bond between you and your dog and it will also help in improving your communication not just during training but also in everyday life.