by Stuart M.Russell

Having a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever have. It can also be one of the most frustrating experiences of your life. That adorable bundle of love can easily develop plenty of bad habits if you indulge him too much. All aspects of the dog’s life must be carefully planned beforehand, to establish sleeping, eating and play times etc.

Having a well-trained dog can be a great pleasure, but getting there is not very easy. It is a journey that you and your dog have to make together – trite as that sounds, it is true. First of all, make sure that everybody in the family has something to do with the dog, and is familiar with it.

Next, make sure that everybody agrees on exactly what the dog’s role is going to be. There are a few questions that need to be settled – where will the dog sleep, what are the places in the house the dog is not allowed in, when will the dog be fed, where will it be fed, who will take it for walks? For the dog to develop an attachment for everybody in the house, and the other way round, it is a good idea to involve everybody in these things.

Once all the details are worked out, stick to it and make a routine out of it all. Dogs are habitual creatures and when they know what’s to be expected, they are more secure and happy.

Next, set fixed feeding times. The occasional treat outside feeding time is fine, but this is also a key in toilet training. If you mess this part up, you will have a lot of messes to clean up, and you cannot really blame the dog for it.

After the fundamentals are established and the dog is properly trained accordingly, you can move on to teaching it simple tricks and improve its obedience. Give the dog a treat when it does something right and shower some praise.

Remember that your dog loves being praised and petted, and when it does something right, tell it so, and encourage it, so that it will know what to do the next time.

Please remember that you cannot get a dog trained properly through fear. Praise and encouragement is what works and it can be a rewarding experience for you, as well. There is nothing quite as uplifting as a pair of doggy eyes looking at you adoringly as if convinced that you are perfect – be patient and you will see that it is worth it.

About the Author:
The importance of proper dog training is paramount. If you do not train your dog properly from day one then you will always have problems. It is beneficial that you teach your dog discipline as soon as you can.

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Filed under: Dog Training

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