Puppy Training 101: How to be the Leader of Your Pack

Getting a new dog comes with a list of responsibilities. At the top of that list is training. If your dog ignores your commands, jumps up on house guests and leads you on walks, the pup probably believes he is the alpha in the pack.

To foster a good relationship with your dog and maintain the authority in the relationship, you will want to establish who is in charge right away. Following professional advice, respecting the limits of your canine and using special training tools like treats (food is always a good motivator) dog training collars and exercises, you and your dog will form a healthy pattern of respect.

Set Reasonable Expectations

After watching a couple of episodes of Cesar’s Way, you might think you can teach your dog how to sit and stay after just a couple of training sessions, but that’s not quite how it works. According to Petfinder, the hardest dog behaviors to correct are digging, barking and jumping. If this type of behavior was not addressed and rectified when your dog was still a pup, it will take him longer to understand and adjust to your new commands.

For example, if you reward your dog with a treat after he stops barking a couple of times, he is not going to suddenly stop barking when you tell him to stop. In fact, your dog may bark more, so that each time he stops, he’ll get a treat. You will need to be vigilant in your training techniques.

Be Consistent in Training

Your dog’s behavior will not suddenly eradicate itself after a couple of times of being told “off” when he jumps up. You will need to maintain the training, even when you’re not feeling into it. Nylabone suggests having 10 to 15-minute training sessions every day, and always before your pup’s regular meal times. If he’s hungry and wants to sink his teeth into a bowl full of kibble, he will be more willing to perform on command in the hopes of getting his meal quicker.

Consistency is a major factor in training your dog. This is why everyone in the house (including the children) need to be part of the process. For example, if your dog tries jumping up on you, members of your household and anyone who visits, using different command words like off, down, or no will not effectively teach your dog not to jump on people. Instead, it’ll just confuse him. Everyone should use the same command words. Before you begin training, decide on which commands the family should use to train the family dog. You will want to keep the commands simple , so make a habit of using one-syllable words, such as sit, stay, off.

When everyone in the household follows the same training guidelines, your dog will thank you.

Reinforce Good Behavior

When your pup has performed an action well, reward him with a treat. Though this may be viewed as a bribe by some, letting your dog know he has done a job well done will make it more likely that he will perform the task correctly or when asked to perform it again. You do not have to continue to reinforce positive behaviors with edible treats. You can move away from treat giving by decreasing the size of the treat and eventually cutting down to nothing. Reward your obedient pup with verbal praise and a head scratch or belly rub. By rewarding your dog with affection, he will equate good behavior with attention and will make good behavior his top priority.

Learn to Listen

Leash training may be the most difficult to conquer, as being out in the open air and in a new environment will send your pup into doggie sensory overload. Your dog deserves to have a sniff at the air, and there is a way to get a good walk in striding side-by-side: just listen to your dog. Is there an area of the neighborhood he gets too distracted? Avoid that area. Is there an area where he can run freely without fear of a passing motorist or stranger walking up? Visit that area more often. Maybe the real issue on the walk is that your dog tries to take the lead and pulls you along for the ride.

Dog training collars like the slip style dog training collar help to correct that behavior by tightening the collar around the dog’s neck, letting him know he can’t move passed a certain speed or go in a certain direction; he can only go where you let him. This lets him know that you’re the leader on the walk, he’ll fall in stride quickly beside you.

Following these simple tips and tricks will bring you and your dog closer together. For more training tips and doggie training tools, visit Hot Dog collars today.