Looking after a new dog not only entails giving it food and shelter, but also being able to train it to adjust to its surroundings. It should be able to coexist peacefully with you and even the strangers it meets on the street when you take it out on walks. Dogs are not born with good behavior. It has to be instilled upon them. There are only a few basic rules when it comes to teaching dogs to be good pets in and outside the home. These are guiding principles that should show you how to help your dog learn.

The most common way a dog owner would train the dog is to keep it company and let it do whatever it wants as long as the dog owner isn’t bothered by it. This is sadly not enough and the owner is taking on a very passive position. The dog must realize that the owner can assert his authority and assume responsibility so it listens to him. Many owners tend to think that it’s needless especially when they have small dogs. Even small dogs need to be taught some manners and often enough, the small ones are nasty and would nip at a child. You can’t let the dog lead you. It should be following your cue, although not all the time. You should be the one dictating which behavior is appropriate in what situation. To do this, you can’t just let your dog be around other people or animals when it hasn’t learned how to behave well.

Trainers would encourage good behavior by positive reinforcements such as the use of praise and treats. Praising a dog that deserves it is good and encouraging. Doing it too much would be distracting if you are still in training. It would make the dog forget you’re still in the serious business of training it.

There are just some dogs that are too satiated to bother. When you have a busy schedule, you could be confusing your dog that wants to go with treats. You are clearly misunderstanding its needs when you’re giving it more food while it has the urge to go.

You must establish yourself to your dog as its leader. It must understand that its welfare and everything else depends on you. Once you have this recognition, you should have no problems in setting the rules or teaching the dog how to be receptive to your commands.

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