Top 3 Dog Training Mistakes

Training dogs is like training children. You will need a lot of patience and love to mold them to be what you want them to become. In order to be successful, you should be guided by some guidelines on what to do and not to do as you train them. Many people, in their zeal and enthusiasm to produce quick and good results, commit mistakes in their dog training efforts. Below are the top 3 dog training mistakes that you would not want to commit.

Mistake #1 - Pampering and spoiling your dog

Dogs are man's best friend but there has to be a clear distinction about friendship and leadership. Spoiling your dog by giving in to all his concerns will mean making him the leader and not you. Discipline is necessary to correct some bad habits and consistency in what you are teaching is required to create good results.

Mistake #2 - Correcting by punishing

Never hit your dog with anything to correct him for his bad behavior. This will never be effective. It can cause trauma and fear. You might no longer be able to make him submit to you because of his fear of pain. If you have not clearly established yourself as a leader, your dog can find a way to get even and get back at you. Instead of making him learn about the behavior that you are teaching, you are teaching him to rebel against you and fear you.

Mistake # 3 - Relying on word-of-mouth for approaches in dog training

Proper dog training is systematic and organizes. If you will train your dog based on how your family dog was raised which was not based on an effective method, chances are that you will not come up with the results that you want. You need to have a training material to help you go through each dog training concern one step at a time. Effective methods consider the different dog breeds, ages and even situations. It will be best to have a reliable material than to implement dog training myths that cannot guarantee results.

Top Five Dog Training Mistakes

While there are great self-help dog training guides out there and even better at home courses you can take to learn about dog training, be wary of any that include bullying or punishing your dog for not obeying you. These are common mistakes I see my clients make on a daily basis. Be sure to enroll in a solid online course or pet store class that avoids methods like these:

1. Training sessions that last longer than 20 minutes.

Most dogs attention spans are around 10 minutes of complete focus. It can be stretched to 20 minutes if you have an enticing reward like food or generous amounts of affection and petting. But after about 10 minutes, the dog will lose interest. Going past that amount of time can hurt training as the dog will try to avoid the situation. This leads to frustrated owners and if you are familiar with my writing, you know that dogs do not follow unstable or emotional (angry, frustrated, sad) leaders.

2. Punishing or scolding the dog after an accident or misbehavior.

If you come home to an accident in the house or your favorite pair of slippers chewed to oblivion you first reaction may be to punish the dog. You may actually justify this punishment by bringing the dog to the mess to show him why he is being scolded. The truth is the dog has no recollection of the moment. Even when you bring the dog to the slippers, he will not remember that he did it. So you are punishing the dog, in his mind, for no reason which leads to mistrust. How can you expect him to listen to your commands when hes been punished for not doing anything. I know what you are thinking (because I've worked with people and their dogs for many years), how then, does he remember to sit. Truth is, he doesn't. It's more muscle memory and instinct. The act of getting affection and treats subconsciously reminds the body how to act. That's why you see animals stalk prey the same way for centuries. It's simply instinct.

3. Hitting your dog.

Many years ago, it was common to roll up a newspaper and give your dog a smack on the rear end if she did something you did not agree with. Those times have changed. Studies show that any physical abuse will counteract years of love and praise. A dog is always in survival mode. So years spent in pleasure can be undone in a moment in a dogs world. Touching, however, is a very effective method. Touching is a firm touch with two fingers on the dog to snap him out of whatever he is doing. It doesn't hurt the dog, just gets his attention. At the touch, give a firm no and that will do the trick.

4. Letting the dog eat at the same time you do.

Letting the dog eat before you is worse. You need to establish that you are the pack leader in any human-dog relationship. In the dogs natural habitat, the pack leader eats first. It makes sense because the strongest have priority if the pack is to survive. Just like our president is the first evacuated out of an area if a problem arises. So if you feed the dog first or eat with the dog, the dog will determine that you two are on the same level and therefore, he does not have to obey your every command. After all, you two are equals!

5. Using a crate that is too big for the dog or puppy.

It is a common misconception that crates are like torture for a dog. The truth is dogs are den animals and feel safe in those types of areas, surrounded by walls or objects. It gives them protection from what they cannot see. When you see a dog whine while in a crate, it's because he or she simply wants to be with the pack leader. If you were in there with the dog, there would be no whining. So in order to compensate, owners buy crates that are way too big for their dog so the dog has room. However, the crate should only be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lay back down. I usually tell my clients to choose a crate, then buy the next smallest one. That's probably the right size. If the crate is too big, a puppy will gladly eliminate in one corner and lay down in the other. So if your dog is going to the bathroom in the crate, the crate is too big.

Dog Training - Avoiding Common Training Mistakes

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!

Dog Training Mistakes - The Top 3 Worse Mistakes You Can Make While Training Your Dog

If you own a dog then you know how difficult your furry friend can be at times. However, with the proper training and a whole lot of patience, your dog can start behaving the way you want him to.

Before you start training your dog, there are several common mistakes that many people make when they begin training. I will be going over the top 3 most common mistakes, so pay attention!

1. Don't make it a habit of always "punishing" your dog when you call him. What I'm talking about is doing something to him that he doesn't enjoy. For example, it's not a good idea to call your dog and then clip his nails. Don't make it a habit of calling your dog and then tying him up. Make sure you occasionally call your dog just to talk to him in a cheerful voice, pet him, and tell him what a good dog he is. You don't want him to always associate bad things when you call for him, or he won't want to continue coming when you call!

2. Don't simply ignore your dog's bad behavior because you think he will eventually grow out of it, because he won't. Instead, make it a point to teach what is, and what is not, appropriate behavior.

3. Don't ever hit your dog or cause him physical pain as method of training. This will only make your dog aggressive, or at the very least, a submissive wetter. It's always more effective to reward your dog for good behavior instead of punishing him. After all, your dog's goal is to please you!

Dog Training - 5 Common Mistakes People Often Make When Training Their Dogs

Dog training is all about the relationship you have with your dog. In the same way that humans have problems with relationships, the relationship between you and your dog is of vital importance in successful obedience training.

Here are five common mistakes many people make.

(1) Lack of consistency in your behavior. Your dog must learn to trust you. In order for the dog to trust you it is important for you to be consistent in your training. There must be consistency in your rewards and reprimands. If the dog is reprimanded for something it has done wrong, you must not allow it to get away with the action one day and then reprimand harshly the next for the same action.

(2) Lack of communication. The dog must be quite sure why it has been reprimanded - and of course why it is being rewarded. Do not take it for granted that the dog understands what it has been told. If you have any doubt that the dog does not fully understand the way you want it to act, repeat the lesson over and over again. A dog, in many ways, is like a two year old child. Be patient in your training. Don't assume the dog understands what you want it to do.

(3) Unnecessary punishment. If your dog has run away when called and eventually returns to you, don't make the mistake of reprimanding the dog harshly. Also, in training, modulate the tone of your reprimand depending on the severity of the disobedient behavior. If you are going to shout loudly and angrily for a minor offense what are you going to do when the dog does something more serious?

(4) Starting training too late. Don't make the mistake of starting training too late. Start basic obedience when it is still a pup. Use mild reprimands with a very young, but even at a very early age the pup must know what it can do and what it is not allowed to do. Gently but firmly should be the guideline.

(5) Too much reassurance for shyness and nervous behavior. At a certain stage of it's development the pup may show signs of nervousness and uncertainty. Don't make the mistake of patting and coddling your dog - or even giving it a food reward - to re-assure it that there is nothing to worry about. It will take this as a sign that this behavior is acceptable. Speak to it in a matter-of-fact, unconcerned tone of voice.

You'll find a great deal of useful information and valuable advice about dog training on the following website: http://www.freedogadvice.com