Guiding Principles Of Basic Dog Training

If you’re new to dog training or this is just the first dog you’ve tried to train on your own, it can be very difficult. It can be very frustrating trying to figure it all out for yourself. Luckily, there are really only a few guiding principles you need to learn in order to get a hang of everything else that the training process entails…

Consistency

You have to run the same obedience regiment every day. You can’t punish a dog for stealing from the table one day, and then ignore it the next day. Whenever your dog steals from the table, deliver the exact same punishment you did last time. If they do a trick, always give them a reward. Inconsistency can sabotage any training regiment no matter how carefully planned out or effective it may have otherwise been.

Use Equal Parts Positive and Negative Reinforcement

It can’t just be punishment, or just rewards. You need both to raise an intelligent, obedient dog. Without punishment, rewards and consistency, you wind up with a dog who just won’t listen to you no matter what. So make sure to run a balanced training regiment, don’t just punish or just reward your dog, do both, and make sure to do both with complete consistency (or at least as consistently as possible).

Show Your Dog Love

Don’t just be a drill sergeant, don’t ONLY pet them when they do a trick. Take time to pet them and scratch them and play with them just for fun. If they love you and if they feel loved, they will try to make you happy. You want them to obey out of love and discipline, not out of fear. So take care of them, make them your best buddies, and the training process will be a lot easier than if you have an adversarial relationship with your pooch.

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