1. Concentrate on what your dog is doing right. Professional dog trainers everywhere
tell their students to reward their dogs when they do something right. This “positive
training” method is in contrast to training that centers on punishment. Trainers
recommend that owners praise and reward their dogs with treats and affection for
good behavior instead of just scolding them for bad behavior.
2. Be proactive and keep your dog from behaving badly in the first place. One of the
most important tips that a professional dog trainer will tell his or her students is that
good behavior is not just the responsibility of the dog. The owner must make every
effort to avoid giving the dog the ability to engage in bad behavior while they are still
learning the ropes. For example, if you notice that your dog likes to chew, it’s
important to make sure that everyone in the home puts their shoes behind closed
closet doors to remove temptation.
3. Stop saying NO! One of the biggest mistakes that people make when training their
dogs is saying NO without giving the dog an explanation of some type. Dogs, much
like children, will become confused with a simple command of NO! Here’s what you
should do instead. If your dog is stealing the cat’s food, tell him NO and then gently
guide him to his own food dish. Or, if your dog is chewing on a table leg tell him NO
and give him rawhide or another toy on which he can chew. Once your dog begins to
actually use the new behavior, reward him with treats, toys and praise.
4. Learn the difference between boredom and separation anxiety. It is important to
determine whether your dog is misbehaving when you leave home because he is
bored, or because he is experiencing a case of separation anxiety. Figuring out why
your dog is engaging in bad behaviors is usually the quickest way to combat the
problem. If boredom seems to be the issue, you can probably keep your dog from
destroying your house during alone time by providing him a toy stuffed with treats or
something else that will help exercise his mind a little. If separation anxiety is the
problem, you will need to learn ways to desensitize your dog to not only your
absence, but also your “preparing to leave” routine.
5. Consider trying clicker training. Clicker training is a relatively new technique in the
dog training world and involves the owner using a specific sound to indicate to their
dog that a particular behavior is acceptable or desired. The owner will repeat the
“click” and then reward their dog for his or her good behavior. The positive feedback
will encourage the dog to repeat the good behavior.
6. Be patient, persistent and consistent. These three behaviors on the part of an owner
will develop similar behaviors in a dog. Patience means that you understand that
learning new behaviors may take some time and a lot of practice and repetition.
Persistence means that you, as the owner, do not give up when training does not seem
to be going well. Consistent means that your dog knows what to expect from you. For
example, if you always say NO when your dog is misbehaving, they learn to
recognize NO as a sign of disapproval. Conversely, if you only give treats for good
behavior, your dog will learn to recognize such positive feedback.
