People often say to me they wish they had trained their dog when he was a puppy, thinking it is now too late and that they have to live with the bad habits that their dog has accumulated along the way.  It is not true.  All dogs no matter their age or breed can learn basic training and understand a range of commands at any time.  The only difference is that the training may take a bit longer and require additional reinforcement for the older dog.

Dogs are all motivated by the same factors, they want to please you and earn your love and respect.  They are eager for acceptance into your family, just like they would be keen to fit into a pack if they were in the wild and are quick to learn how to do this by responding to your reactions.  It is therefore important to remember the way you respond to your dog after every action he or she makes will affect how they will act ongoing.  Praise, be it in the form of food, a cuddle, a scratch or a walk will enforce the behaviour that went before, while a stern word or ignoring the dog will deter from a repeat of the preceding behaviour.

Below are some simple training tips and techniques you can introduce at home.  Of course if you have a puppy, enrolling them in puppy training school is definitely recommended.  The skills that both you and your puppy will learn in obedience training are essential to maintaining a happy and harmonious household.

Crate Training

One method of training that is gaining popularity is the use of a crate.  The crate provides your dog with a secure place which is their own safe and happy home.  By slowly increasing the amount of time the puppy is in their crate, especially over night or while you are out, the crate can become your puppy’s happy space, reducing barking and separation anxiety.  Never use the crate as a form of punishment.

Training on a Lead

Ensuring you are in control while walking your dog is essential for both your dog and your children’s safety.  It is therefore important to teach your puppy good lead etiquette early on.  If your dog starts to drag or pull you, stop walking, say “sit” in a loud, clear voice (if they do not understand, use your hand and firmly press down on the back of the dogs bottom, your dog should then sit), wait for a moment and then start walking again.  Do this every time your dog pulls or tugs and they will soon associate the stopping of their walk with the fact they are pulling and will over time be content to walk beside you.

Basic Commands

At home you want to make it clear to your dog you are in control and what you expect of him.  This will provide your dog with a level of security, as he will know how to please you.  Start with simple commands such as sit, down and wait.  Once mastered move on to teaching him other useful skills like how to indicate he needs to go outside to go to the bathroom.

Patience and Consistency

While not a training technique in itself, having plenty of patience and ensuring everyone in your house is consistent in the way they train your dog will ensure you are granted with success.  If you are not consistent your dog will get confused, especially when they are excited and this will lead to your puppy acting in the wrong way.

A Dog Training Lesson

Are you looking for some dog training tips?  Perhaps you have some dog problems that you just can’t figure out how to handle.  Maybe you’re in the middle of training a puppy.  Training dogs can be frustrating and a lot of hard work, but it is so worthwhile.

I’m by no means an expert in dog training.  But through my many years on this earth I have always had dogs in my life.  Most of them have been rescue dogs.  I would suggest rescue dogs for anyone interested in getting a new dog.  It’s a wonderful feeling and you will never regret it.

Now, on to the purpose of this article and this short dog training course. Over the years I’ve tried many different dog  training techniques to deal with dog problems that I’ve encountered.  Many times with rescue dogs, especially older rescue dogs, they might have some bad habits that their previous owner just didn’t want to deal with.  Those are the dogs I love to take because they end up being so lovable and sweet once you deal with the dog problem.

One dog training technique that has been very successful for me has been something so simple and yet so effective.

What I do is take a small tin can and put a few pennies in it.  Sometimes I will have a few cans around the house so they are handy when I need them.

When your dog exhibits a behavior that is not welcomed, just give the can a shake and at the same time say “No!”  This catches the dog’s attention and startles them.  They don’t like the sound of the pennies in the can, and after doing this a few times, you’ll see  that the unwanted behavior stops.  So what you are doing is conditioning the dog  to know that when they do the unwanted behavior, they will hear this noise that they don’t like, and therefore after a few times they will stop the behavior.  After a few times, you won’t even have to use the can but only say “No!” and they will stop the unwanted behavior.

This is why I have a few cans around the house because you want them handy so you can shake the can immediately when the dog is doing the unwanted behavior. 

I’ve used this technique on a number of dog problems that I’ve had through the years.  It’s been especially helpful in stopping dogs from barking too much.  One of my dogs was a very yappy dog until I tried this technique.  After a few shakes of the can, he now does not bark all the time and is much more pleasant to be around.

Another dog problem I’ve handled with this technique is a disgusting behavior of eating their own feces.  I know, so disgusting.  Two of my dogs now have done this in the past and I was so happy when this technique worked for them.  I would have to watch them while they were outside for a few days and keep a window open.  Then when they started going toward their own feces with an eye to eating it, I would shake the can from the window and that was enough to stop them.  It only took a few times.

I hope you will try this technique and let me know if it works for you.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Also, I have found another great dog training book that has some great simple ideas to help with dog problems that you might want to try.  The title is Secrets to Dog Training, formerly known as SitStayFetch.  It’s a great resource, PLUS you get six bonus books with it.

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Training your puppy should be both a fun and very rewarding experience for both you and your puppy. Puppies possess an astonishing ability to learn difficult demands speedily. This article contains some valuable information that will assist you in training your puppy. You should begin training your puppy as soon as you get your puppy. Puppies learn very fast, but their attention span may be very short.

You should therefore spend 10-15 minutes twice on a daily basis. Always try and do the training when the puppy is not excited, and relaxed and when the home environment is calm. As soon as the puppy has learned a reaction in one environment, you should move the training location to an increasingly more complicated and more interesting setting. You should have your puppy trained in each environment that you want them to respond in. Learning will occur much quicker if one person trains the puppy first and then the other family members get involved at a later stage. When training your puppy, use one-word commands like “sit down” and “come”. Also try to not use the puppy’s name in connection with the command. Too much verbal commands will confuse your puppy and slow down the learning process.

You should repay correct behavior the moment after you have given the command. Provide your puppy with prized rewards such as touch, praise and food every time they react to a command. You will quickly come to know which reward is more appreciated by your puppy. As soon as the response is learned, you should give your puppy the rewards occasionally. This will help them to learn more quickly, and make the response more lasting. If your puppy is unsuccessful at any of the training levels, you should not give them a reward – but start the training again at a simpler level. If your puppy only responds to training when they feel like it or when the environment is quiet, you should again start with the training, but in a more intense manner.

Be tolerant of your puppy, and never chastise them. The opposite of rewarding your puppy is to not give them a reward – not punishing them. A punishment resulting in pain or enthusiasm will not work, and in general usually causes troubles. Punishing your puppy may also get in the way of the bond between the owner and the puppy. If your puppy is doing something wrong, divert their attention or make use of a reward for responding to a command which is contrary to the unwanted behavior.

Trained puppies are usually happier than untrained puppies, and they also make wonderful companions.