8 Essential Dog Training Tips for Any Owner

by Kelly V. Livingston

Do you own a dog that needs a great deal of training? Whether you are training a puppy or an older dog, there are things you should know before you start.

Whether you are the owner of a puppy or the owner of an older dog that is not well-trained, you and your dog can both benefit from dog training. However, dog training will not work unless you are consistent and firm. The following are 8 dog training tips that can make the process easier.

1. The art of dog training

A person that has never owned a dog, or trained one for that matter, could easily come up with a successful plan to train the pet without any prompting. Simply hold up the front end, push down the back end and say “Sit!”. The basics of training are very easy to understand; however, getting a dog to pay attention and do it happily are two very different things. There is more that an owner needs to know. There is more than just group classes that need to be taken, otherwise an owner is going to be teaching forever.

2. Training isn't a quick thing

Training is a continual process. Teaching and practicing go on and on, in situations that can get more challenging. When you don’t want the dog to do something, you admonish or ignore it. There needs to be daily integration so that the lessons stay fresh. It’s just like you forgetting the foreign language you learned in high school if you haven’t practiced it for years. Your dog is like you in that regard.

3. Keeping lessons fresh

Remember to keep practicing with your dog even after she learns a new word. Here are some suggestions that may be helpful. When training your dog, think about it as a team adventure as opposed to a ‘me against the dog’ type of thing. You can imagine yourself as the quarterback of the team. You make the calls and your dog is a member of the team following those plays. When you are successful, it’s an achievement for both of you. The first step is teaching your dog the lessons. This doesn’t have to be an argumentative process. While teaching your dog, treat her with kindness and she will be in kind right back at you.

4. Maintaining a positive attitude

You’ll need to show your dog patience and to be around her a lot. Your dog will like it if you allow her to follow you around the house. She’ll learn tricks faster if you practice them more.

Part of it is having the right demeanor toward your dog. Another important part of this endeavor is the reward system. Your dog needs to hear praise from you. You wouldn’t like it if you had a boss who only criticized you and never praised you.

5. Praising and admonishing your dog

Keep in mind, praise is the most cost effective reward on the planet. It’s free, so use it freely. Praise your dog when they make an attempt to do it right and use it more when they succeed. Use it if your dog is paying attention to you, because you’ll see that is the first step in training. You don’t need to overdo it, but you need to let your dog know just how proud of them you are. Before you admonish your pet, make sure she’s understood you, and make sure the admonishment is fair. It shouldn’t be a way you get rid of your anger or any other pent up feelings in your life. Rather, this is the chance to practice good dog communication so that she knows her place in the hierarchy. Doing it well will help make the bond between your dog and you even stronger.

6. Correcting your dog's behavior

Corrections can come in many forms. There could be simply no attention, rebuke or praise at all. Be sure you are asking yourself if this is a fair response before condemning your dog’s actions. A correction is only one tool in a trainer’s kit of many. A correction isn’t about anger or revenge. By selectively using negative reinforcement and not punishing a dog for an action they didn’t know was wrong, you stand a chance of better results. Think of your job performance if your boss constantly switched the names of your tasks, or asked you to multi-task when you weren’t able. If they had different rules for places and times, it would drive you insane. Some people don’t realize they do the same thing to their pets.

7. Keeping commands consistent

Once your dog understands a command and obeys it consistently, be sure to use that command in the same manner every time. Do not make any changes. For instance, if the command you taught your dog is “sit,” do not say “sit down” instead. Of course, when someone tells you to “sit down,” you understand that the meaning is the same as “sit,” but if you have also taught your dog the command “down” separately, you can see how your dog might feel confused and not know what you really want it to do. And if you really mean “off,” do not use the command “down.”

8. Don't leave room for exceptions

There are some dogs that understand the regular rules don’t apply in certain situations. Take for example, they learn that when their owner is rushed, they aren’t really focused on their obedience. If an owner is in a rush to feed their dog, when they say “Sit” and their dog doesn’t, they will just give them the food anyway. If “Sit” isn’t always going to mean “Sit”, over time a dog will never understand that it means ‘Sit.’ Make sure your dog knows the command “Sit” in fact means ‘Sit’, no matter the time or place that you request it. Another kind of inconsistency is not thinking your dog will pay attention to your commands until you’ve repeated it numerous times. After a dog learns a command, consistently follow through and make him repeat the behavior. Make sure to give praise when he follows your lead.

As you can see from the 8 tips above, consistency truly is key when it comes to training a dog. Realize that dog training is a long process. Rather than bemoaning the setbacks, notice even the small steps your dog is taking towards being fully trained. Remember that you and your dog are both learning as you go along. Be patient with your dog and your dog will be patient with you. Best of luck!