Dogs are man's best friends. When you ultimately made that big decision to own a dog, you expected it to provide you companionship, be a pleasure to show off to your friends and just plainly be a joy to own. So off you go to the pet shop, choose a dog that catches your attention and bring him (or her) home.
But then, the horror begins. The dog you brought home seems to be anything but the adorable creature you expected it to be. His (or her) behavior is terribly unpredictable and can even be downright embarrassing at times. The dog you brought home to provide you companionship just sits around at the corner of your home, seemingly bored at the things happening around him (or her).
So you read all the books and even went to a dog training class to teach your dog a thing or two about obedience, but you still get no good results. This may lead you to think there is something inherently wrong with your dog. Is he (or she) just plain lazy, hardheaded or a little bit slow in the head?
Have you considered its lineage? Some breeds of dogs are simply not born to be followers; making them naturally hard to train.
Have you taken an honest look at your self and your training style? Are you observing the proper dog training techniques? It would be a good idea to make sure that you do, to make both of your lives easier and to make your dog training sessions an enjoyable and fruitful experience for both of you. To help you make your training sessions easier, here is a list of the most commonly committed dog training mistakes. Please avoid them at all costs.
oNot giving enough rewards during the training - Providing treats is one indispensable part of dog training. It gives your dog enough motivation to continue following your commands satisfactorily. However, some dog owners shun this idea. They simply do not want to provide treats during their dog training sessions because they feel that they would not retain authority if ever they do so. They believe that it is the dog's role to follow their commands and giving them treats would be like bribing them.
oBeing too controlling - Some owners simply have a "control" problem and can be quite overbearing, nagging and perfectionist during their dog training sessions. If you happen to be one of these control freaks and you own a hard-to-train dog, you can expect to be in for a very hard time!
oBeing a training fanatic - Training your dogs too often, or repeating the same exercises over and over again, may bore him (or her). This is especially true when you own an independent dog, one that was simply not bred to obey his master's commands. Among these are dogs that belong to the non-sporting, terrier and hound breeds.
oNot giving attention to the dog's emotions - Some owners neglect to give enough attention to their dog's feelings during their training sessions. This can be a major problem indeed! Especially during training, it is important to consider how your dog is feeling to get the most out of your efforts. So whenever you observe his (or her) reluctance in doing the exercises, if you notice excessive yawning or that your dog simply refuses to look at you, it may be best to stop and let it loose for a while. Your dog might already be tired or bored from all that physical exertion!
