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Dog and Puppy Obedience Training - More Dog Training Tips
by Rena Murray
Puppy obedience training and older dog obedience training use a lot of common sense, some understanding of dog pack behavior, and a few simple techniques. I begin with a reminder to you all -- one of the puppy training tips that I have found to help immensely. Be sure you walk for a few minutes with your dog on a proper heel. Starting him off in the follower position with you in the lead makes it a lot easier on you, and it gets you both in the mode to respect you as the Pack Leader.
With that done, here is a simple way to make your dog familiar with the commands "sit" and "down." Tell the dog "Good sit" as he sits by you looking for affection, and "Good down" when he is lying at your feet after you have had a long day. If he does not seem to understand when you ask him to lie down, push his rear down and work his front paws down. (Obviously, he starts in the sit posture when you do this.)
Command an action from the dog with your hands (or simultaneously with hands and voice). It is easy for him to watch them, and using your hands for direction causes him to respect them. Also, take time to touch and handle all parts of your dog's body often to avoid fear at the vet or any time he needs to be checked over.
To teach your dog to stay, bring him to one spot and tell him to sit. Then say "Stay" and step back a little. Go forward three steps, then five, then ten.
Mix up the amount of steps so the dog cannot predict what you are going to do. If the dog can guess what you will do, he may cheat.
Sit, move forward two steps, and sit again. If the dog cheats or does not stay when you say to, you must take him back to the original spot and start over. If you do not fix the mistakes immediately, you are likely to have a dog that will cheat way too often and not listen to you at all.
Dog training is really not hard. It simply is a matter of nailing down a few key points. Here are some more dog training and puppy training tips:
Your dog will not be unhappy with you for telling him what to do. On the contrary, he will be angry and frustrated if you don't!
Always be consistent and follow through in the simplest of things. The little things go a long way. The little things are also remembered.
Do not take it out on your dog if you have had a bad day. It will not help, and it is not his fault. It is better to skip it if you are really ticked.
Always introduce a new command in stages -- one step at a time. Let each step be understood and assimilated before adding more. You want to lead and instruct your pet, not confuse and frustrate him.
If you are having difficulty implementing these dog obedience training steps with any modicum of success, then there may be other dog behavior issues - physical or psychological - that underlie the problem. Ask a dog behaviorist for help. Not just any dog trainer will do. You need someone who will help you understand if it is you, the dog, or both. I know better than to buy the popular myth that "a bad dog is the sign of a bad owner."
Need help with Dog Obedience Training or Puppy Training? Ask Dog Behaviorist – Dog Obedience Trainer, Rena Murray, at the Best Dog Obedience Training site - your source for Dog Training and Dog Rehabilitation help, Dog Products, Dog Lover Gifts, and all things dog related. See Rena's no-nonsense "Platinum Expert Author" Articles, "BestEzines"-featured free Newsletter – PAW PERSUASION POINTERS, and the Paw Persuasion Blog - http://www.pawpersuasion.com/blog/ . Contact Rena NOW for hands-on help with a Private Coaching Session .
Contact the author, Rena Murray
, at rena@pawpersuasion.com
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