14 December 2008

Don't Complain. Train!


Every dog needs to be taught basic manners. This ensures his safety and gives you peace of mind; it also provides the framework for further training, letting him reach his full canine potential.


When Should I Start?
Start teaching your dog the house rules immediately before he makes up his own set of rules. Regardless of your dog’s age, start training the moment those feet go through the front door.


How Often Should I Train?
Be consistent and spend time training your dog every day, even if it is only for a few minutes. Make your sessions short and fun, and give lots of praise when he performs correctly and he will want to work with you.



Daily sessions help him learn and a chance to practice and perfect what you have taught him earlier. Be sure to incorporate his new skills into his daily life too to reinforce the training so it becomes a habit.



How Long Should the Sessions Last?
Keep your sessions short and sweet. 10 to 20 minutes works much better than drilling the dog on commands endlessly. For pups, the session should last 3-5 minutes, spaced throughout the day with at least a half-hour break in between. More frequent shorter periods will give you better results on any age pet.


Shorter session should work better for you too. When you have a spare ten minutes, work in an extra training session with your dog.


If you have a fast learner, one session may be enough to teach certain exercises. Use your other sessions to review what your has all ready learned. Or, you may need to repeat the same lesson 3-4 times a day until he gets the idea. Just remember to stay flexible and remain upbeat. You want the dog to enjoy the training times, not dread them.


Five basic command to work on: "Sit," "Down," "Stay," "Come," and "Heel."



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