Dog Training

The One Mistake Pet Owners Make When Training a Dog

As you can probably attest, it can be difficult to properly train a dog. After all, your dog can’t speak English so it’s very hard for him to understand all of your commands and directions. This lack of understanding between the dog and the owner can sometimes be seen as a lack of respect for you and your home. Many dog owners end up using harsh training methods or feel tempted to give up entirely on training a dog. These owners make a very common dog training mistake. By knowing about this mistake ahead of time, you can avoid it and properly train your dog.

What is that very common mistake? It’s a lack of understanding about the way your dog thinks and behaves. Understanding why your dog is behaving in a particular way and discovering his motivation are two important factors in successfully changing your dog’s behavior.

Unlike little children that have a somewhat basic grasp on the English language and that understand directions and commands, dogs can only associate a few words and phrases with the actions that are expected of them. Basically, instead of telling your dog, “Go get my slippers and bring them back,” you should simply say “slippers”. By using a simple word that they can recognize, they will associate the word with the act of getting your slippers. The phrases “go get” and “bring them back” are non-sense for your dog. If you stick to small and simple words and phrases, you will be much more successful in training dogs.

Furthermore, positive reinforcement for good behavior is a better incentive for dogs than punishment for misdeeds. Sure, you will likely still need to use some form of punishment during dog training but the whole process will run a lot smoother if you reward your dog for his good deeds. For example, if you’re having problems with excessive barking, you could opt for punishment by putting your dog in the garage. A more successful approach could be to use a command to stop him from barking (e.g., “hush!”) and to put your hand around his mouth at the same time. When the dog stops barking, you provide him with positive reinforcement through the form of petting and attention. Always remember that dogs crave attention from their owner. If by acting a particular way they get attention, they are more likely to repeat that action.

Sure, dog training can be difficult at times. It’s a little like raising children of your own. To be successful, you need patience as things don’t always happen as quickly as you wish they would. Try to get in your dog’s mind and understand what makes him tick. By doing so, successfully training your dog will become a lot easier.

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