They say that like father, like son. It is not different at all when we talk about educating domestic animals through their respective owners. Obviously, the blood is not the same, but after an adoption shortly after its birth, the behavior with which the puppy will evolve until it becomes an adult will greatly depend on human teaching and customs.
Every new animal member of the family must know first-hand and at an early age the necessary rules so that the coexistence between the human and canine components is the best possible. Some basic rules that entail training that, over time, becomes mutual for both the owner and the pet Houston dog training.
Steps to train a dog
Raise awareness for the whole family
Nothing better than preparing the ground for the arrival of the new furry member. It is important to determine the different roles that each family member will have when it comes to training my dog ??and living with him. The discipline is the same for both. For example, if one of the rules is to feed the dog at a certain time, no one should offer food between meals.
Study their behavior in depth
Every puppy is different and may not act as you expect. Each one of them therefore needs specific training in line with the characteristics and attitude of the animal. An example could be the case of a dog trying to bite its own tail. A strange behavior that can occur for some physical or psychological reason that can be treated but also prevented.
Clear and basic rules
Dogs need rules that are easy to assume and follow from the first moment to quickly capture their attention and make them comply little by little . A clear rule could be not to eat from the table, so it would be best to never offer him from our own plate.
Rewards, prizes and reprimands
It can be very difficult, if not impossible, to train a puppy without any reward in return. Food is usually the element of desire on the part of these small dogs, used as a stimulus towards them at times when they do not want to or do not feel able to comply with a rule.
It is mandatory to be aware that the reward in the form of food must be of a very measured size , since the animal cannot eat a large amount in a short amount of time, for its health and well-being.
In small portions of some dog food or food that is also healthy, such as turkey, we can easily reward good behavior from our faithful companion.
Verbal praise also influences the dog’s attitude, which reacts correctly if it perceives a friendly, high-pitched voice every time it performs an exercise in a positive way. It is equally important to act in the opposite way if the puppy disobeys, using a more severe tone with the necessary reprimands so that the animal is aware that it has made a mistake, to distinguish the tone to realize that it did not act well, although always that precedes forgiveness, necessary to move forward and evolve.
Do not exceed the exercise or the duration of the session
It is advisable to maintain a comfortable and adaptable session rhythm for the puppy, with games that the owner himself can invent and enjoy with his pet. Breaks are essential if physical fatigue or boredom appears in the animal. If it is the human himself who is experiencing heaviness, it is best to stop and continue in the next session. To avoid this type of events, it is advisable to use time periods that do not exceed 15 minutes.
Control your needs and your schedules
Training physiological needs seems essential to obtain control from the beginning. Puppies as young as three months old are not capable of having absolute control over their bladder and intestines , which can cause unfortunate accidents anywhere. We should not severely reprimand if this type of situation occurs, as it can undermine the animal’s morale. It is necessary to understand that most puppies will need at least six months of training to carry out their needs where appropriate.
These small dogs can only go without urinating or defecating for a number of hours, which depends on how many months old they are. That is, a five-month-old puppy should not be inside any establishment or in its own home for more than five hours, unless it is at night, in which while they sleep it happens like it does to humans, and Its functions allow you to last longer than during the day. Although yes, until they are four months old, puppies will not be able to spend a full night without any basic needs.
The schedules related to food are equally important . Nutrition is too vital for humans to implant it into the animal freely, so it is very advisable to go to a veterinarian to implement a rigid daily meal schedule to avoid problems due to feeding between meals or the excesses that cause gastric problems in the stomach, among others.
Go out for air
In addition to having to go out every few hours to relieve themselves, dogs need fresh air every so often . Young puppies have to go to the bathroom approximately every half hour, and adult dogs with a stable physique need to go outside and walk to change their environment and breathe a different air. In the morning, after lunch and before going to sleep would be the three most appropriate outings.
Create your home space, without prohibiting you from spaces in the house
For puppies, it is really important that they can enjoy a ‘children’s’ area as if they were human babies. An area that can be fenced where they can enjoy their bed, toys , food and drink will be essential for their growth and habit towards that part of the house, which will become their home.
Little by little and as time goes by, the small dog can be moved to other parts of the house, always with care and with the clear idea that if it has an accident, it is necessary to reproach it at the moment it happens, not a while later, because he won’t know what you mean . The return to his ‘little house’ is the end of the trip.
Make it clear that biting causes harm
The puppy will not have the intention of hurting when he bites, he will even believe that it is all a game, so it must be stated as soon as possible that his teeth can become weapons that must be avoided in people. What better way to teach him than to show him that it really hurts you. If we express a moderate complaint, show him the sign of his bite on our hand, and ignore him for about twenty seconds each time he does it, he will show you that this act is not correct.
It will also be important to avoid focusing on the feet or other objects that could break or damage , whether shoes, furniture, or any valuable piece. The verbal reprimand will be necessary so that it is not repeated continuously. In addition, another deterrent can also be used to distract him, so that he focuses his attention on it, such as apples, toys or balls.
Approach as we should
Except in the case of violent dogs or dogs that suffer from a behavioral problem that predisposes them to attack, many of the attacks that people suffer when dealing with dogs are caused by a poor approach to the animals . Making sudden movements, shouting or approaching quickly, invading their living space usually provokes reactions in insecure animals, incidents that can be avoided if we respect certain behavioral guidelines.
Although it may seem obvious given that most people live or have lived with dogs, many dog ??attacks on people, especially children, are caused by inadequate communication between human and animal. This means that with correct education of the little ones we can prevent unwanted incidents.
Dogs only understand a few words that they can relate to the corresponding objects by mere learning. That means that despite what some owners may think, dogs are not capable of understanding our spoken language . In this sense, in order to communicate with us, they have learned to understand our body language, for which they analyze everything from our movements to our tone of voice.
Simultaneously, dogs express themselves in various ways to show us their mood and how they feel. Although they can vocalize (growl, bark, moan…) the means by which they communicate the most is through their body . The position of the ears, the tail, the body in general or even the hair, gives us very valuable information to know if the animal is receptive or feels insecure.
When approaching a dog we must do so slowly and observing their expressions . We must not forget that many attacks occur with our own dog and are caused by overconfidence. The most common thing is that bites are caused by the fear of insecure dogs invading their space.
If we want to come into contact with a dog, it is better to crouch down to its level and wait for the animal to approach . In this way, he is the one who sets the pace and decides whether or not he wants us to pet him and we can even extend our hand so he can smell us.
We should under no circumstances move suddenly, shout or try to pick up an animal that shows us insecurity . It is extremely rare for a dog to be aggressive enough to attack by approaching us in a respectful manner and if it is, it will send multiple previous signals, such as growling, barking or showing its teeth by looking directly at us and approaching without hesitation.
Once the animal has decided to approach, we must remain in the same crouched position and caress it on the chest and neck so that we do not have to raise our hand and it may become scared. If the dog decides to leave, it is best to respect that and try again after a while, without rushing and always speaking in a soft and calm tone of voice.
Comply with movement orders
Every puppy should know how to respond to commands such as sit, stay, or go to his master. The quickest way to make him obedient is to guide him using a leash , so that he is aware of the movements that are requested of him. Always with a reward in exchange in the form of food without excess or toy, if possible.
Once the dog recognizes the ‘magic’ words “ sit! “ , “ stay still! ” or “ come! “You have to say them before he actually does it, so that they are recorded at the same time as the action.
Without practice, time and patience it would not be possible to complete adequate training that will serve to not only have a well-prepared pet, but also a family member that we will love in the same way as a loved one. It all starts with a good relationship and education and learning that, over time, will end with bonds that are impossible to break.
And now it’s your turn, have you taken any steps other than these to train your puppy? We’d love to know! Leave us a comment if you want more below.