Getting Your Dog to Obey

When you see a very well-trained dog on TV doing tricks and whatever the master says, don’t you find yourself wishing for your dog to be the same? Teaching your dogs to do things and obey commands can be frustrating and time consuming. However, once your dog learns to listen and obey, the rewards will be tremendous.

There are many dog owners who take their pets to professional trainers just to get their dogs to learn obedience. But actually, you can do the teaching yourself. You just have to device a way on how to make the learning activity fun for your pet so he will enjoy it and make the whole training process enjoyable for both of you.

First of all, you should start while your dog is just a puppy. Engaging your pet in obedience training at an early stage is very helpful since you will get the chance to make him follow your commands before he gets old and stubborn. Also, instilling routines and rules at an early stage will ensure that your dog will carry such training till he gets old.

Use positive ways in training your dog to obey. Hurting them or punishing them whenever they can’t follow your instructions won’t help at all. Dogs are like children, they need to be coaxed in a gentle and positive manner for them to obey.

Most dogs are active and love to play. Use this to your advantage. Make the training seem like playing so that he will enjoy doing it. Use safe dog toys to avoid choking and your dog’s natural play drive will make the training easier.

When teaching your dog to obey tricks, do so by giving one word commands. Using many words will just confuse your dog and he will end up not obeying you. Also, say the word firmly and don’t repeat it over and over. Using a firm tone and uttering the command just once will convey to your dog that you are serious with the command and he will most likely follow.

Just as everyone wants to be commended for a job well done, dogs need to be appreciated too. A simple pat or words of appreciation at every command they follow correctly will boost your pet’s ego, this will motivate him to obey you more. You can also give him treats like dog biscuits and dog snacks to show that you appreciate his being obedient to your orders.

Another important thing to remember is not to overdo training. Set just a few hours each day or days in a week for training to avoid stressing the dog. Even though you the training is a playful activity, your dog will get tired eventually and might see the activity as tiring rather than fun.

Always keep in mind to give your dog water every now and then during and after training to prevent him from being dehydrated. The physical activity during a hot season should be minimized as well or better yet do it when the temperature is more comfortable.