How to Turn Your Dog Into a Perfect Companion

submitted: Sep 27th 2006 | by: snook2 | Total views: 80 | Word Count: 503 | PDF View | Print Article

Learning how to turn your dog into a perfect companion takes time and effort but is well worth it to create a harmonious living environment for you both. If approached the right way, the training process can even be an enjoyable way for you to spend time together, leading to a well-adjusted personality in your dog, and decreased stress for everyone. Dogs like to learn and interact, so ongoing training and the reinforcement of learned behaviors can be a good way to prevent them from getting bored, as well as helping you develop effective communication. Teaching your pet a number of commands is more than just a matter of having some clever tricks to show; it can be a matter of ensuring their safety and preventing the development of unnecessary bad habits. Learning obedience should not mean a dog can no longer show their personality, or engage in normal, natural dog behaviors such as barking, digging and chewing. Turning them into the perfect companion should, rather, require that you teach them the appropriate times and ways to act out these instincts, providing alternatives when their natural inclinations prove destructive. Provide appropriate items for chewing, places for digging, and rewards for obeying. Punishment is rarely an effective means of communicating with your pet, and in many cases simply serves to reinforce the negative behaviors due to increased stress, or a simple lack of understanding. If the behavior is attention-seeking, negative attention is perceived as better than nothing, so once again your attempts to change the behavior are foiled. Try to catch your dog "in the act" so you can stop them the behavior, but don't give them a lot of attention immediately after. Wait until another time to show them the acceptable behavior, and reinforce it with a treat or praise. In some cases you will need to take steps to prevent the behavior, such as building barriers to fence-jumping, particularly when it is a behavior that takes place when you are not watching. Use your best judgment, and do some reading on the subject to find out what other dog owners have done in similar situations. Once again, the best method of encouraging good behavior in your dog is to spend lots of time together playing, exercising, and engaging in activities that keep their minds stimulated. This will generally prevent the bad habits that can result from boredom, loneliness and neglect. Be consistent in your approach to training, establishing clear expectations and rewards for obedience, and your relationship should flourish. Pets require a lot of love, and in return offer you incomparable loyalty and devotion. Take the necessary time to build your relationship and ensure that your dog is happy and well-adjusted; you will find it is well worth the effort. For problem behaviors that persist, consult with the many resources available online or at your local bookstore. There is plenty of advice, as well as training products to help you along the way.

Tags: ,

About the Author

Terence Young - For more dog obedience and training tips and ideas visit: http://www.obediencedoggytraining.com


Comments

No comments posted.

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.



If you like using Dog Article Directory please consider linking to us

Dog Article Directory
A free general article submission site that is human edited, offering Rss feeds by category, printer friendly and Html versions of articles and free content.

Our Top Authors...

Authors

Categories



More articles in this Category

1: Making Dog Training More Effective With Training Equipment
When you first get a new dog it may seem a little overwhelming the amount of things you have to buy. You will have to buy food, a bed, bowls and toys to mention just a few and it is also a very sensible idea to get some dog training equipment.

2: Dog Obedience Training - Professional Or DIY?
Dog obedience training is important for both puppy and master in so many ways. Yet the question often remains - whether it is better to seek the help of a professional trainer, or try to do it yourself. Find out more here, as well as the two available options for professional services.

3: Dog Training Collars Are Not All Alike
All dog training collars and not created alike in some may be more appropriate for the type of training you need to do if your dog. Here's an overview of some of the different collars available and what they are best suited for.

4: Getting the Right Dog Agility Training Equipment for Your Dog
Agility training is considered a specialized area when it comes to dog training and while it may not be for every dog the majority of dog breeds can enjoy this exciting type of training. There is a variety of dog agility training equipment on the market today that can assist the owner who is interested in this form of dog training.

5: How To Take Care Of A Dog: 21 Key Factors You Should Know
It is essential an individual learns how to take care of a dog long before taking ownership to ensure the experience will be good for the dog and rewarding for the owner. Learn how to take care of a dog with this easy read 21 point checklist that covers basic needs, equipment and treatment.

Pic 4
Pic 5

Training Tips

Focus is the single most important command to teach your dog before any basic training. If your dog is looking away from you, he is listening to what he is looking at. Distractions are a large part of life, and you need to teach your dog to ignore them and pay attention to you.

more...