Why You Should Start Training Your Dog Early..

One of the most important questions for dog owners is when should they start training their dog.

The time to start training your dog is immediately whether you have a puppy or an adult dog you need him/her to become aware of your ways as soon as possible so your dog obedience training regime needs to begin quickly.

The advantage with a puppy is that you are beginning with a completely clean slate; no bad habits have been picked up along the way. Dog obedience training from puppy hood is still hard work but you have no moulds to break first. Start with the basics, the 'sit' command & the 'wait' command working alongside with the toilet training. The dog obedience training with your puppy must include the socialization period; this is of paramount importance for your puppy to develop into a well-balanced & friendly adult dog.

Just think if it were you in your dog's paws how would you like to be treated? Dog obedience training is all about gaining your dog's trust, love & above all their respect. It is much easier to do this with small puppies than with adult dogs.

Leash Walking Tips

I'm going to share with you two valuable tips on leash walking. Here they are:

Never try to walk a dog that has been cooped up all day. : If your dog has been lying around waiting for you, let him burn off some of his energy before you take him for a walk. Throw a ball, play tug-o-war, or do something to calm him down before the walk.

Use a gentle leader: One of the best collars on the market is the gentle leader head collar. It works by controlling your dog's head. When you control the head you can control the body, much the same as a horse bridle is used. They really are great collars.

Toilet Training For Puppies

Once your puppy has eaten then take the puppy outside or go for a walk. This will train your dog to go to the toilet and when doing this make them go in the same place in the yard every time. As mentioned earlier, puppies love routine so they will be pleased to go in the same place. When your dog does this always make sure that you praise him or her for this.

However, please take into account that puppies are too young to control their bowels or bladder, so don't get mad with them. Never hit your puppy, as this can lead to a mean dog, just a quick "no" will do and don't overdo it. Remember, that it can take anywhere up to a year for the puppy to be fully toilet trained, so please be ready for a few accidents.

Training Tips: Avoid Inconsistency

Dogs are creatures of habit. Anyone who has allowed a dog to eliminate in the wrong spot even one time can attest to this. As such, when training a dog to behave in the manner you want, you need to make him consistently behave like that. This is how he will learn.

If you aren't consistent with your pup eliminating in the same spot (that you've chosen), he will not learn that he has to go in that spot.

If you issue a command while you're not in a position to enforce that command, and you allow your dog to ignore you, you've taught the dog that he doesn't need to listen. That he can choose when to obey and when to not obey. This is why I cringe when I hear some dog owner screaming, "COME!" at their disobedient dog. Every time he ignores them, and they allow it, they're simply reinforcing bad behavior. So let's reinforce good behavior instead, ok?

What Is Crate Training?

Crate training is the process of teaching your dog to go to its crate on command and stay there comfortably until released by command. Crate training is typical to American dog owners. The aim of crate training is to make the dog recognize the crate as its den and feel thoroughly safe and at home there. It is useful to you when your dog is new to the house and is not familiar with the house rules. Crate training also comes in handy when you want to travel with your dog, especially to a place where letting it loose is not an option.

Crate training a dog takes a lot of time and effort. There are two things that you should remember while crate training a dog, the crate should be a pleasant object to it, always, and that the training should be done in small parts, slowly.

Dog Training Tips: Establishing Dominance

Dogs are not furry little four-legged humans. They are dogs. Pack animals. In order to connect with them on their level, we need to understand the mechanics of dominance in the pack. Failing to establish this clear hierarchy, or allowing your dog to become the leader while you take a submissive role, is often the root cause of behavioral problems.

There are many subtle ways to establish dominance that do not require "alpha rolls" and other physically aggressive displays. Simple obedience training is the first step towards becoming the pack leader, as is walking your dog daily. The NILIF method is great exerting control over every aspect of your dog's life, and thereby establishing dominance.

Phases Of Dog Training

1 - Learning

This is where your pup begins. He's happy, he's curious, and he's eager to please you.

2 - Correction

Your dog has learned the command, he responds consistently 95% of the time, and has an obvious understanding of what you want. Yet, every so often, he just seems to ignore you. Your dog must learn that he does not have a choice to disobey. He cannot ignore. He must obey immediately, every time.

3 - Distraction

Your dog has successfully grasped the concept that disobedience is unacceptable. He is consistent with obeying the commands, and listens rather well.

4 - Continuing education

The fourth phase of dog training is lifelong. It consists of taking a little bit of time every day to reinforce the training.