Dog Training Basics: How To Give Commands The Proper Way

Learning dog training basics is, of course, necessary in teaching your dogs behaviors that you want it to display. Without learning about the basics and just quickly deciding to teach your dogs tricks, you would not be able to accomplish anything. You need to learn the basics first because dog training is not an easy thing to do and without proper knowledge, you would never be successful. You have to keep in mind that dog training requires consistency and precision. If you fail to display these qualities right from the beginning of the training, expect to have difficulties in training your dog.

The reason why consistency and precision are important in dog training basics is because dogs are incapable of using logic the way humans do. Your instructions should be consistent and the manner in which you give rewards should always be precise. An example of this would be the way you command your dog to come to you. By using different words or phrases that pertain to “come”, your dog would only be confused. It would not know to which word it should respond. Your dog would not be sure whether to come once it hears the word “come” or wait for you to say “come here” first. For dogs, even a single word could change the entire meaning of the command so you always have to be exact in giving instructions.

Precision is also necessary in dog training because of the same reason. Dogs only learn through associations so you should pay closer attention to giving rewards at the right time. Rewards in the form of food or praises should always be given immediately after the correct behavior. A little later might cause the dog to associate the reward to something else so you always have to be alert while training your dog.
Other dog training basics that you should learn about is dogs could act like children sometimes. They could also throw tantrums and could be spoiled by gifts. As much as possible, avoid using punishment whenever your dog makes mistakes and do not always provide food whenever it performs tricks well. Instead, use praises and be more affectionate to your dog whenever it succeeds in learning a trick or a behavior.

Dog Training Basics: Giving Rewards

Learning about dog training may not be as hard as you think it is. Yes, professional dog trainers go through a lot before really becoming a professional but you could also train your dog effectively once you learn about these dog training basics. The most important thing in dog training is the trainer should always have patience. You have to understand that dogs do not speak and understand the same language as humans so you have to be extra patient in training your pet.

While a student would be able to use logic in comprehending your instructions, dogs would find it hard to understand if you constantly change your manner of giving instructions. Dogs are incapable of using logic in reasoning so the only way they learn is through associations. You should always give commands the same way and be consistent with the treats or praises. This way, the dogs would be able to establish a strong association between the tricks and the rewards. If the dog quickly learns that once it does a trick properly, it would always get a reward either in the form of food or praise, the training process would be successful.

Just keep in mind that you should not spoil your dog with rewards. Dogs are like children in this manner because they can easily be spoiled. One of the dog training basics that you should learn is to moderate your rewards. Always make sure that your dog receives something if it does something right but you should not provide food every time. Dogs would also be satisfied if you simply praise it. You could do this by tapping its head or saying praises such as “Good job” or Good dog”. It is natural for dogs to follow those who provide them food and are affectionate to them. By constantly praising our dog whenever it performs a trick well or follows your orders immediately, it would soon learn that that is the way to get love from the master.

These dog training basics could only do so much so if you are willing to learn more about the proper way of dog training, you could consult professionals or seek books containing information on dog training.