The Puppy Bowl and Valentine’s Day are not the only important events in February, it is also Dog Training Education Month. Our furry friends not only love spending their time outside, but they enjoy the classroom too. Training is an essential part of owning a dog and can be started at any age or time. Learning builds confidence, provides mental stimulation, and strengthens our bond with our beloved furbabies.
This can be a fun learning experience for dogs and their owners, and the Pets a Go Go team would love to share some creative ways to get your dog’s tail wagging.
Positive Reinforcement. To begin, it is very important to use positive reinforcement while training, as this, builds trust. Positive reinforcement is giving a dog a reward to encourage the behavior you are expecting. Avoid using punishment such as leash correcting or yelling, this will not benefit you or your dog. Punishment can lead your dog to confusion. With punishment, it is hard for a dog to understand what we are asking them to do. Positive reinforcement comes in many forms, including dog treats, toys, or special items. If you give a pup a treat while saying “good dog!” in a happy voice, they will learn to want praise. It is also essential to train your dog in a quiet area indoors.
Teaching Your Dog to Come. To begin the process of dog training, first, we must teach our furry friend basic commands. The best command, to begin with, is to come. This will teach your dog to approach you when they are called by their name or the word “come.” The best way to teach this to your dog, according to the American Kennel Club, is to sit down with your dog and say their name or “come.” If they follow the command, reward them with a treat, or you can pet them. Repeat the routine and try again. Next, you can drop a treat on the ground not too far away from you. When your puppy finishes the treat, say their name again. When they look up, give them another treat. Repeat this a few times until you can begin tossing the treat further away from you, and they can turn around to come to you when you say their name. Once your puppy can turn around to face you, begin adding movement and making the game more fun. Toss a treat on the ground and take a few quick steps away while calling your puppy’s name. They should run after you because the chase is fun for your puppy.
Teaching Your Puppy to Hand You Their Paw. Another basic command for your puppy to learn is “paw.” This is a quick command that your dog can learn in just a few days! We must remember, though, that all our furry friends learn at different paces. Here is how we can teach our furry friend step by step; place a treat in a closed fist and hold it out until your dog’s paw touches your hand. As they touch their paw to your hand, make sure to say, “good job” Repeat until they are touching your closed fist with their paw every time you present it to them. If they’re struggling, take a break and come back to it later. Next, try without a treat. After a few lessons, they should begin to hand you their paw.
Not only is dog training a way to teach our furbabies adorable tricks, but we can build a special bond with them while keeping their minds stimulated. There are so many different commands that we can teach our furry little one, but these are just a few to get you started. To learn about the training services offered through Pets a Go Go, click here.
