As the adage goes, “a dog is a man’s best friend”. Even in a simple community, you can be sure that one of the residents would have a dog. There has even aired news that dogs were able to save man’s life or even a dog that can dance or ride a motorbike. You may even be amazed as to how these dogs can be trained well and follow whatever his master says. Around the world, you can find a lot of dogs which belong to a specific kind of breed. But why is it that man’s attachment to a dog is very heartwarming?

They say that if a dog is a pure breed one or it has been bought for such an expensive amount, the dog is well-bred and can be easily trained. But this statement hasn’t been really proven to be true. It was replaced with “Dogs can be trained and trained dogs are good dogs”.

Now that we have introduced dog training, who will be the one to do the task? Well, you can have an option. It is either you do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Dogs differ in their body size as well as in their temperament. There are dogs which can be easily trained and there are ones which are very much stubborn to learn commands and tricks. But all of these would be borne in your hands.

Now what will be the reason as to why would you train up a dog? Is it because you just want to? Or it can be that you want to see other people how your dog obeys you. There could be a lot of reasons to that “why” question. But on the other hand, no matter what, dogs will always need a master who can feed him, love him, and of course train him.

Dog Training

The very first training that dogs might undergo is what we call “Basic Obedience”. Some dog trainers would consider this as training the dog with a leash. You can command a o dog to sit, to lie, to roll down and a lot more. To handle and train a dog would require you your 200% patience. Normally dog training starts even in an early stage or puppy stage of the dog so that when he grows older, it would be easier for him to follow commands. Dogs have special needs that responsible owners should do in order for them to stay in good shape.

A whole program for the training for dogs would include dog walk, basic obedience and advance obedience. All breeds of dogs are in need for a dog walk. They need to exercise through walking especially large breed ones. There are benefits that dogs can get in dog walking.

First is that they can exercise their body as mentioned above. While walking your dog, you need to keep them close and make sure that it is not the other way around, that he is the walking you out. Most trainers would say that the dog should stay on your left side and that he will not pull you while walking.

If your dog tries to go first, you need to stop and go to the other direction. This will tell the dog that you are above him and that he should only follow you. Of course, dogs are normally in packs and that they need a leader. Now, that is what he should think of you, as a leader. Second of benefit of this is socialization. When dogs are already experiencing regular dog walking exercises, they will be familiarized with your relatives whom you greet whenever you go walking. Also, if there are other dogs who go with you, your dog can eventually learn to socialize with other dogs.

For basic obedience, this is where the commands like “sit”, “stay”, “come” and a lot more depending on the trainer. Dogs learn through what we call “rewards” system. So as men are motivated to work because of the salary that he gets from a company, dogs are also eager to master what is being taught because of the rewards he gets like dog treats, and the like.

It is highly recommended that in using commands, you should be consistent with it. You should not have a changing command like “sit” and then “sit down”. Dogs may also be confused with this. Teaching dogs basic obedience entail a lot of time. It is never learnt over night. You need to lead the dog on how he can “sit” and then reward him. This can be done for a number of times before a dog can master the commands.

As what we can sometimes see in the internet, dog had saved a life of a child. How can a dog do this? Dogs may be trained how to rescue and there are ones which is like “innate” to the dogs character that when he sees that there is danger, he is to go and rescue his master or be it another person.  Dogs that are hired by bomb squad teams undergo special training on how they can detect bombs. Advance training would also include how training dogs on how to see that there is danger and how he can protect his master.

Training a dog would make him a lot better dog for he can follow commands, do certain tricks that you tell him to do so, and that he is a lot more tamed and controllable when compared to a dog that has never undergone training, but of course, this is not absolute.

There are dogs that can still be tamed even without proper training. But I would like to emphasize that there is a greater chance for a dog to become a better dog when it has been trained by professionals. They are the one who can handle the dog and make your good the best pet and guard for you.

Raising a dog is a big responsibility. You have to give your four legged friend proper nutrition, medicine in case it falls ill, soap and shampoo for grooming as well as regular trips to the veterinarian. To some people, owning a canine cost the same as providing for your needs. There are instances when the pet’s expenses outweigh that of its master.

Investing on a dog is worth the expenses and time. The benefits dogs shower on owners is simply too valuable to ignore. In order to make the most out of your animal pal’s worth, you must train it properly. Like us, they have personalities and unique traits. Each dog is distinct from the other, just like humans.

There are numerous tips on how to educate your pooch. Everything starts with considering it as more or less similar to you. Its’ easier to instruct a dog if you know it from A to Z. Establishing rapport makes the dog more obedient to your commands. Some training methods require an expert trainer while others are simple, you can train your dog by yourself.

Reminders in Teaching Your Dog

Exercise Patience

There are dogs who don’t obey your orders right away. How they react to your basic instructions determine how fast or slow they could pick up commands. Avoid spanking or shouting as this can create fear or aggression. Instill a lively approach when you train your dog. Once a dog is eager and happy, it is most likely to learn faster. Renowned dog trainer Cesar Millan, host of the popular show “Dog Whisperer” tells us that we must “possess a calm yet assertive energy”. This is the key to effective dog training.

Communicate Frequently

Constant interaction means the dog is more receptive to your directions. Thus, you can easily teach it about proper behavior. Staying beside your dog for longer periods builds up trust, which is important if you want your pet to obey you.

Take Your Dog for a Walk

Take your dog for a stroll in places where lots of people converge such as parks or sidewalks. This makes it less hostile to other humans or canines. Let it mingle with people or fellow dogs under your careful watch. An over isolated pet is unfriendly even to its master. On the other hand, an outgoing kind is receptive towards your commands. The dog also is more excited than hostile in seeing visitors in your home.

Give Rewards

Reward a dog for good behavior. Give it a bone, whether it’s real or plastic. Having something to chew or play around means you’re congratulating it. When it obeys instructions or doesn’t do unwanted acts like scattering its waste or damaging furniture, show that you agree. This motivates the canine to maintain its attitude.

Get Your Dog’s Attention

In case it misbehaves, get its attention.Gently pat your dog on the head then tell it “not to do it again.” Be strict yet not mad. Getting angry and spanking the dog makes it antagonistic. Avoid hitting your pet. Scolding it rudely would be counterproductive.

A dog could become a better best friend to us if we treat it with respect and guide it accordingly.

But there are times that when you take your dog for a walk where a crowd of people are also present, taking control of your dog may prove to be difficult. This normally happens if dog’s socialization was not that ready or has been hampered. One reason of this is that your dog may not have never left his cage or your house and mingle with other dogs. But how are you going to control your dog when he is already together with the crowd?

The Early, the Better

Train your dog to socialize with other people as well as other dogs early. The puppy stage is the best phase of his life to be familiar and go with the crowd. When you are training your dog while he is still in the puppy stage, he will become more controllable as he gets older. The more that you engage him with the crowd, the easier it is for you to control him in a crowd when he grows old.

Train your Dog to be Familiar with the Crowd

If your dog is not at ease with a crowd, you should not put him in the crowd right away. As they say, everything should be done smoothly. Dogs will be in too much stress if he will be put in the place where he does not want to be. Once a bad experience has happened to your dog, fear will be developed and he will end up losing his control when he is in a crowd.

You can do this by bringing your dog to a small group of friends where he can also meet other dogs. Then, you can already bring him to fun matches and dog shows if you would want. By that time, he is now ready to mingle with other dogs and will not be stressed.

Keep Your Dog Close

Always remember that if your dog is not familiar or at ease with the crowd, he will eventually lose control and create mess around. What you should do is that, you need to keep him close. Make him feel that you are there for him and that there is nothing to fear about. The closer he is to you, the more that you can control him. The use of choker chain can also help. By this, you can make your dog feel that you are superior over him.

Know the Limits

Dogs also have their limitations. You, as an owner, should know what are the strengths and weaknesses of your dog. You should note what his favorites are and what his fears are. By knowing this, you can always build your dog’s trust and make him feel that he is secured when he is with you.

Dogs also have fears and you are responsible for making him feel that there is nothing to fear about because you are there for him.  Knowing your dog’s limits is a test by how much you know your dog. There are things by which you should consider in buying his food or if he feels something bad in his body.

As an owner, you should always hands on and be in control of your dog. Controlling your dog in a crowd is a tough one, but this can be done when you know everything about your dog.

There have been a lot of dog training schools which have been training dogs on how to become obedient to their owners. It is also a fact that putting your dogs into training schools will entail a lot of money. But what happens if you do not have much money? Actually there are a lot of ways by which you can train your dog without or just spending less.

Know Your Dog

By knowing your dog, this means that you need to know what your dog wants and does not want. This will pave the way by which you can reinforce your dog. Know what he wants and when he wants it. Know his eating pattern and his attitude. Dogs will differ from each other and will eventually demand things differently from each other. As an owner, you are the first one who knows when your dog is ill or when he is not just in the mood.

Dog Walk

Leading your dog for pack walks or just by walking your dog for thirty minutes to an hour will definitely help your dog exercise. Walking your dog is very important to them because this is the way that they can use their stored energy.

Reward

When you want your dog to “sit” or to “roll”, you need to reinforce or reward him with something that he wants. For some dog trainers, they use hotdogs, dog foods or dog biscuits. Reinforcement for every dog would depend on what he wants and loves to eat.

Verbal praises also do but food that you give to him is a lot much preferred. Training your dog would start by the time that you reward him for an act that he did right. This will signal your dog that when he sits when you say “sit” he will be rewarded. Same goes with other commands.

Avoid Confusion

Confusion happens when there are varied commands used. For example, this day you used the command “sit” but a few days after, you used “sit down.” So for commands, you need to be consistent and concise. When a dog is confused he will no longer perform the command that you had given him.

Consistency and Persistency

Training a dog will need a lot of time, effort, and patience. How you want to have your dog perform a command is not only done by one night. It is done through a series of trainings for a week and even for a month or even longer. The trainer should also be consistent with his commands and rewards.

Punishment is also done so that the dog will know that he did was wrong. The way how you train your dog should be consistent in a way that dog will know that any deviation from the tasks and time that you want him to perform commands, he will be punished.

Training a dog for some may be easy and for some may be difficult. At the end of the day, training is something that you both do. You both know that you need each other in order for the tasks or commands will be performed in perfection.

As a dog owner and trainer, do everything that you can to communicate well with your dog and be the best partner he could have. There may be times in which you will have difficulty in training him, but if you are persistent, nothing is impossible.

After a long day of office, you have drained all your energy and you want to rest for a while. Upon entering your house, you find your dog following you wherever you go inside the house. But there are times that you may find out that your dog has chewed almost half of your favorite shoes or a broken vase now on the floor.

There may also be times that your neighbors would complain to you how your dog has been disturbing them while you are away. Your dog may have been howling all day long before you arrive home. Have experienced the same? Your dog may have been suffering from dog separation anxiety.

Dogs are known to be with their packs. This means that they need someone who goes with them, to play with them. Once they are being taken away from their pack and are being made as house pets, there is a certain part of them that would long for belongingness in a pack.

Since you are the one whom he sees each day, he would consider you as a member of the pack and would reach out to play with you and be with you. But often times, you spend more of your time in the office and that you cannot provide your dog with this kind of need and he is ending up disturbing your neighbors. How would you go about this?

There are ways by which you can help your dog overcome this dog separation anxiety.

Let me share to you some of the ways.

Take Your Dog for a Walk

Dogs would always love to go for a walk. A responsible dog owner should also provide his dog’s needs and wants. Before you leave the house, you can start the day by taking your dog for a brisk walking. You should also reward your dog’s attitude in walking by giving him his favorite food, praise him and give him food and water to drink. Just a reminder, after a long walk, the dog should be rested for a while before giving him water to drink.

Saying Goodbye

Just like people, we want to be said goodbye to by the person that is important to us before they leave or let us know where they are going. Although dogs cannot understand our language, you can communicate by body language. Take time to show your love and affection to your dog and tell him that you will miss him while you are away. Most of dog owners would try to communicate and talk to their dogs and you should do. You can do this every time you leave the house for work.

Leave Your Dog for a While

If you are in the house, try to practice leaving your dog for like five minutes. This will enable him to be at ease with this kind of situation and leaving him behind for more hours will not let him feel the same way again. Start out by leaving him for five minutes, and then increase it to an hour until you reached the eight hours of leaving him behind the house.

A dog will only be a dog, but he can be a member of your family. He is surely an awesome being to be with. You should always remember that you may have your friends and others whom you can go to in times of troubles, but for a dog, he only have you and you are very precious to him. A dog will always be loyal and give you unconditional love that you cannot get from your friends. They may leave you, but your dog will never ever do that.