Disciplines such as house training, reactions with other dogs, leash training and general basic behaviour should to be taught correctly from the start. Remember that you need to have realistic expectations of what can be learnt and the time this will take. There are bound to be mistakes made during the training sessions and afterwards, especially in the early stages of training. This means that it is especially important that you make a real effort to display patience during the training stages while your dog is learning new skills. Patience is critical. The rewards will be worth the effort that you both put in over this period.
Your dog will soon learn that you, their owner, are their good friend and that you consider them as your companion. This is the prelude to years of pleasure and enjoyment for both of you. To achieve this, it is important to use positive reinforcements and rewards during training sessions. These sessions should be short. Experts say they should be no more than 15 to 25 minutes each.
Always start your training with the easy, basic commands such as “sit” or “stay” and then progress to the more involved commands. You will find that your dog will be happy to learn what you want them to do, and happy to learn and understand each different command. Spend some time on the early commands such as “sit”, “stay”, “come”, “lie down”, and “sit up”.
Dogs are invariably keen to please their owners by obeying every command, provided they understand the command, they are treated patiently, and owners are sensible and reasonable in their expectations. Bear in mind that if behavioural problems are caught and corrected early by observant owners, there will be no long term problems.
Correctly trained dogs impart great personal satisfaction, and both dogs and owners enjoy the resulting companionship and security that follow. Keep in mind that every training session should be fun and enjoyable, both for you and your dog. Always carry a few snacks and other rewards with you whenever you spend time with your dog, because it is important that you reward them quickly whenever they do something well.
We wish you every training success and years of enjoyment for both you and your dog.
