Dog Training Tips for Pack Leaders

If you have ever tried to get your dog to behave, I'm sure you know how difficult it can be to get your pooch to mind the rules. Believe it or not, your dog really wants nothing more than for you to be happy with him. The sooner your dog understands the rules of the house and knows that you are happy with him, the better his life will be.

However, dog training is not always easy. Your behavior must be managed just as much as his. If your training is not consistent, your dog will only get confused and stressed out. Luckily, the techniques are almost identical no matter what trick you are trying to teach your pet. Here are a few of them:

• Keep a ready supply of treats and praise on hand
  If there's anything your dog understands, it's food. Treats are very useful for reinforcing good behavior. When your dog obeys a command, you should give him a treat and shower him with praise. The praise is important for later. After your dog has got a good understanding of the commands, you can start reducing the number of treats. Eventually, your dog will stop expecting treats and be completely happy with praise.
• If your dog misbehaves, you must correct him immediately
  Your dog has a short memory. He can't remember what he was doing thirty seconds ago, let alone who dug through the trash can. If your dog exhibits bad behavior, correct him immediately with a firm "No" and move him away if needed. It's not normally necessary to punish your dog for bad behavior. In most cases, simply saying "No" will get a clear message across to your pet.
  It is important to note that, if you keep your dog in a crate at night, you should never use the crate for punishment. Doing so will create a poor association in your dog's mind. If the crate is where your dog goes when he's bad, he will probably think he's in trouble when you put him to bed.
• Practice your routine regularly
  Practice, practice practice! To really get your dog to understand what you want from him, make sure you go over the commands regularly. Just like you had to practice your times-tables, your dog will need repetition to fully grasp your commands.

These few rules will get you through most dog training problems. If you are consistent with your praise and practice, your dog will understand without too much trouble. Just think,with a little bit of practice, you can train your dog to do almost anything you ask of him. Need proof? Check this little guy out!