Training your pet can be a challenge. And while some dogs learn faster than others, being able to make the most out of every training session can make a world of difference. By using these tips you will be able to improve the speed at which he can pick things up and how much he can remember.
Shorter Is Better
Like humans, canines have a limited amount of time that they can pay attention. Each individual dog is different but you will be sure to get much better results by keeping training sessions shorter rather than longer. Around ten to fifteen minutes of focused training at a time is optimal. You can have multiple sessions in a day but be sure to take breaks in between each one.
Always Fun
You will get much from your pet if he looks forward to his training sessions, so make them fun. Of course, this goes for you as well, if they are enjoyable you will be much less likely to put them off for another day or time. Keep things positive, and exciting, and don’t forget rewards to show your pet he has done a good job.
A Single Teacher
In order for your pet to understand commands quickly, it is easiest to have one person in the household teach him. By doing so, there will be much less of a chance of your dog misunderstanding due to differences in training techniques. Once he learns the commands though, the person who is in charge of the training can teach those commands and how to use them to the rest of the family.
Start With The Basics And Work Up
You never want to confuse your dog, this just wastes time and effort. However, this is what many new owners do when attempting to teach their pets commands or tricks that are too complicated for them. Start with the basics and work your way up, don’t get excited and go for the complex stuff. Harder commands and tricks all require mastery of basic commands first.
Take A Step Back
Teaching your dog the basics is great. However, you will want to make sure that he will listen to your commands whether you are five feet away or fifty.
This is extremely important because you will need to know if you can trust your dog to listen to you when you are outdoors and in areas that are not fenced in. So once he knows the basics like “sit”, “stay”, and “come”, you should definitely practice these with him at further and further distances.
The Right Motivation
Finding the right reward to give your dog when he has completed a command successfully can be a huge benefit. It can mean the difference between a pet who is totally focused during the training session and one that is not interested at all.
While some dogs are motivated by food others do much better when they are given their favorite toy. A few may not really be interested in either, but instead may prefer some playtime with their owner. Figure out what your dog will want to work for, and you will be ahead of the curve when it’s time to begin.
Using these tips will make sure your pet gets the most out of every minute of your training sessions. You will waste less time and be increasing his focus and that means better results.
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