When you bring your new dog home, you should start training them as soon as possible. Once they are part of the family, dogs should know how to behave properly to ensure a long-lasting relationship. The most essential types of training for dogs are toilet training and obedience training which will help ensure a happy household and a safe and well behaved dog. With patience and a positive attitude, you and your dog will breeze through these training sessions.
Toilet training for dogs is an absolute necessity especially if they are kept indoors. A lot of dog owners get frustrated at this stage but you have to remember to be patient and give your dog enough time to learn. Start when they are about three to four months to ensure that they have enough bowel and bladder control. Provide regular meal times and take them outside regularly. Taking them to the same spot may help and stay with them until they have done their business. Once done, praise them or offer a treat.
Obedience training can be more complicated as it involves teaching the dog to recognize commands. Dog owners will know that having a disobedient dog can be really wearisome. And it can be difficult to correct bad behavior once your dog gets used to doing it. So be patient and put effort in making training sessions fun for your dog. Because they have short attention spans, fun activities will keep them occupied and would definitely help them learn faster. Positive reinforcement or rewarding good behavior has also been proven to be more effective than punishing bad behavior. This will also strengthen your bond and build a happy and fulfilling relationship between you and your dog.
The most basic commands your dog will need to learn are sit, stay, heel, come, and drop. These will help you control your dog in any situation. They will know to remain still and calm when needed and they will always come back when they are called. You can also teach your dogs a number of other commands and tricks but these can be optional. Once your dog learns how to behave properly, life will definitely be more pleasant with them.
