Dog Training. It is one of those areas that there are a lot of sideline
professionals. What I would like to outline for you here are some of
the basics behind training you dog for a few of the more common
problems that you could find;
1) Biting
If there is one area that you should concentrate on the most I would
recommend you deter your dog from biting. If you think about it for a
minute your dog's mouth is his primary medium for interacting with the
world. Therefore he will want to use it as a means to get your
attention. Weather your dog is engaging in play or not, it is a good
idea to persuade them to use another medium like pulling on a rope or
getting their ball as a way for them to get what they want. The problem
with him using his mouth for play (especially at a young age) is that
you are inadvertently telling your dog that it is an acceptable
behavior. As a puppy
this may not be a big deal, but as an adult they may misconstrue this
lesson and think it is not only acceptable for play but also for fear
and/or territorial issues. There is one more point that I would like to
make that will make a huge difference in not only the dog you buy but
also the training methodology you use. Biting can come from multiple
sources.
They are play, fear, aggression, and learned behavior.
The point I am trying to make is that you need to research the dog you
wish to buy to know the level of training you will need to do. Some
suggestions I have for biting would be to give a small pinch at the
scruff of the dog's neck each time he gives a small nibble on your
person. I am not talking about pinching until the dog yelps but enough
that you get his/her attention at the moment your dog bites. This will
simulate the interaction your dog would have had in the wild with its
mother. She would give him a nip to let him know the behavior that he/
she was doing was not appropriate. Also the pinch should be accompanied
by a firm "NO" in an authoritative voice. I do not suggest the dog
understands the word "NO" the way you do but it is a tool for you to
use (with consistency) that will help them understand what it is that
you want or don't want them to do.
2)House breaking
House breaking is another area wrought with misconception. Some misconceptions are as follows,
1 Rubbing their nose in it 2 Smacking you dog 3 Yelling at your dog
The methods I just mentioned may eventually get your dog to use the appropriate place to go to the bathroombut they will go there more out of fear of you than wanting to do the
right thing for you. Lets not forget that everything your dog does he
does to make you happy, all you have to do is show them how. When house
training your dog you should try to spend as much time as you can at
home with your dog. It will help you in providing consistent guidance
to your dog.
The first thing to do is make sure your new puppy does not have worms.
Worms will lead to diarrhea and will make the task of house training
all that much harder. With a consistent diet and meal times your puppy
will get to know the schedule and slowly adopt his own schedule for
needing the bathroom. Nighttime accidents could be limited by keeping
your puppy's bedroom close to yours so you can hear when he needs out.
While you are out you should keep your puppy in one or two rooms that don't have carpet.
Spread layers of newspaper over the entire floor. Once you get home you
should pick the paper up and only return it once you are ready to go
out again. In the meantime, continue to train him outdoors. If you
gradually reduce the amount of paper you lay down over time you will be
down to just a small area. Once he is old enough to "hold it" while you
are gone, try permitting him in a larger area of your home. Use
patience in this training because negative reinforcement when he/she
has an accident will only stifle your puppy's development. The only
scolding you should use would be the aforementioned "NO".
