Dog Training: A Simple Guide to Training Your Puppy: Basics, Behavior Shaping, Potty Training, Dog Tricks, Suggestions for Training Older Dogs, Solutions to Common Problems and More

By Mark B. Chase

Train Your Dog with Simple and Straightforward Instructions

 

So you’re thinking about purchasing or adopting a dog, or you’ve already done so and you need more information on how to housetrain your dog.

This indispensable guide provides you with step-by-step instructions for raising and training your dog. The book covers hand-feeding; crate and potty training; and basic cues-sit, stay, come here as well as more complex goals, such as bite inhibition and water safety. It also shows you how to avoid or correct typical behavior problems, including jumping, barking, and leash-pulling. Plus how to make your dog comfortable in the world - a dog that knows how to behave in a vet’s office, is at ease around strangers, and more. In other words, the perfect dog.

With Dog Training, you can raise the best dog ever – starting with the proper foundation in the early years. This guide provides you with sufficient information required specifically for the particular needs of puppies and adolescents, and answer questions and guides you towards a loving relationship with your dog regardless of your busy schedule.

This book also gives adequate information on trick training – trick training will help you bind with your dog and integrate him into your family. Tricks keep him mentally and physically active and help to establish paths of communication between you.

Packed with everything you need to know to raise and care for your dog, this book will help you communicate and bond with one another in a way that makes training easier, more rewarding, and – most of all – fun!

• Language: English
• Publisher: L. K. Courtney
• Release date: Sep 17, 2018

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CHAPTER ONE

Before you begin training

Dogs naturally learn by trial and error and work to get what they want. Dogs learn many bad habits by getting away with certain behavior, thinking it works and they keep doing it. Therefore, many behaviors are accidental and once a dog starts a bad habit, it becomes difficult to change. Many puppy’s behaviors such as barking, chewing, jumping up, nipping and pulling on the lead can continue and are unlikely that your puppy will simply grow out of them unless you teach him appropriate ways to behave early enough.

Always keep your dog’s training short (about 5- 10 minutes), fun, positive and most importantly, reward based. Have your training sessions in various locations. But avoid training when you or your dog is tired. Remember that consistency and patience is the key to a successful training. Your dog can read your body language, so don’t train if you are angry, frustrated or stress. Every member of your household should emulate the same standard for behavior and use the same rules and patterns. This is important for your dog not to get confused.

A dog doesn’t learn well by punishment; hitting, shouting or spraying water on a dog will make him confused and scared. They don’t make connections to punishments, even if you think it is obvious they have done wrong. When your puppy chewed on your favorite pair of shoes and looks guilty, he is just scared of your angry voice. So, if your dog is doing something you don’t want, just clap your hands to distract him and get him into another activity.  Always keep your shoes and other valuable things from the floor because puppies are like toddlers and will put anything into their mouth. It is, therefore, more appropriate for you to set up a play den for your puppy rather than expecting him to know the difference between his chew toys and your shoes.

One of the essential skills to teach your puppy is to have him respond to his name. This will enable you to have an attentive dog that is keen on listening to you. Start by saying your puppy’s name and once he makes eye contact with you, reward him with a treat and praise. At first, you may have to hold the treat in your hand and bring it close to your eyes to lure and encourage him to make eye contact with you. The goal of this is to have an attentive dog that looks up to you for directions.

Remember that your puppy is learning from you all the time, whether you are consciously training him or not. Be sure to use every interaction as a training opportunity rather than letting him learn by accident. Equip yourself with a treat and always take them with you so that you can train everywhere you go together. You should ask your puppy to sit before any treat or pats, before his leash is clipped on, before his meals and before you greet him whenever you get home. When you ask for this consistent behavior, it enables your puppy to do something that reliably gets him a reward.

Dogs repeat many behaviors simply to get our attention. Barking, scratching at the door, jumping up or nudging into you are bids to get you to look at him. So, if you don’t respond to any of these behaviors and only look at him once he stops, it will help him to learn better ways to behave. Make sure you catch your dog when he is playing independently, resting quietly and when he is calm, and reward these behaviors with affection. But when he is jumping up, simply ignore him by turning your back to him. Once all four paws are on the ground, give him a pat.

It is important to teach your puppy to spend time occupying him even if you are home. It can be nice to have a Velcro dog that never leaves your side, however it can also be frustrating for your puppy if you aren’t paying attention to him when he wants it. So, teaching your puppy crate training or to stay in his bed can be very useful in teaching independence. Start by using a treat as a lure; place the treat on your puppy’s bed. Slowly take some steps back and praise your dog for staying there.

Learning to read your dog’s body language is a necessity. Dogs are great observers and are incredibly good at reading unconscious signaling. They are constantly communicating with us and we need to learn how to listen. The following are the signs that your puppy/dog is