12 Things to Keep in Mind When Training Your Dog

1 - Do not expect the dog trainer to do all the work. His/her job is to train you to train your dog.

2 - You are the best person to train your dog. Training is a time of bonding and connection.

3 - Training does not just belong to the classroom or a lesson: Train your dog a little bit every day for short period of time. Puppies or adult dogs alike need frequent reminder.

4 - Consistency: Make the rules and stick to them. it is up to you if your dog is allowed on the furniture, in the kitchen or bedroom. But once you have decided what is allowed or what is not allowed STICK TO THE RULES. Or you dog will get confused.

5 - Have realistic expectations.

• A successful sit stay for a four month old pup is going to be different than a teenager or adult dog.
• If you are gone all day for 8 hours and your dog pee in the house …. it does not mean that your dog is not housetrained.  6 or 8 hours is a long time to hold it. Think about bringing your dog to doggie care or use the service of a pet sitter if you are away for long period of time.

6 - Train indoor so your dog can stay focus on the learning: While there will come a time to introduce distractions (see next bullet!), begin where you have your dog’s undivided attention so he learns where his focus should be.

7 - Practice outdoor so he can learn to stay focus on you even with distraction around: Life is distracting. Indoors or out, phone’s are ringing, people are talking and everyone is a little ADD. It’s important to introduce distractions into your training so that your dog knows despite that other dog running by, his attention should always be with you.

8 - Always follow your training with some play time: All work and no play makes Fido a dull dog. While training is important for your dog’s mental and physical well-being, so is a little play time. Make sure to reward your dog for his hard work with some fun.

9 - Most dog are playful. Incorporate different commands into play. While spending your entire play session practicing commands will hardly be fun for your dog, sprinkling a few sit, stays and roll over’s will keep him alert and on his toes!

10 -Spend some quality time together: One-on-One time with your furry friend creates a strong bond. In creating a strong bond, you will be building a trust between you and your dog that he will depend on during your training sessions.

11- The importance of your body language: Standing firmly with your arms folded and huffing and puffing at every wrong gesture would make any person nervous. Now imagine that you’re on all fours! Intimidating body posture will only prevent a positive learning experience. For both of you.

12 - Understand your dog’s body language: Since your dog can’t exactly speak, it’s important to read your dog’s body language to get clues onto whether he might be frightened, excited or maybe even confused by a command.