5 Tips for Lead Training Your Dog

Any dog owner knows how difficult it is to walk a dog that pulls on the leash or simply refuses to walk. While basic dog training for any breed should involve lead training, the larger breeds in particular need to learn this as puppies. There’s nothing more unpleasant than trying to take your Husky or German Shepherd out for an evening stroll and having them fight the lead all the way.

With that in mind, here are five tips to make lead training your dog a little easier . 1.Start young. It’s far easier to start with puppy training in Toronto than it is to teach an older dog not to pull on the leash. While not impossible, it’s best to start out with a young dog that hasn’t yet picked up any bad habits. You can easily accustom a young puppy to the lead and he will be happy to treat it with respect for the rest of his life, but the trick is not to wait too long.

Start your puppy off with a collar and then progress to the leash and you’ll find that the entire process is far easier on both you and your dog. This can be one of the first puppy training methods that you use.

2. Be gentle. This is not a time to be rough. Whether you are working with a puppy or an adult dog, obedience is not going to come about through intimidating your dog. That’s why it’s important not to use a choke chain on your dog while lead training, as this will give it the wrong idea about leads. Dog training should be done gently, with respect for your canine and you’ll find that he responds better.

3. Go slowly. There’s no need to leap into walking down the street with your dog. Training can be done slowly and it will be much smoother for it. For example, start with the collar only at first. Once the puppy is used to this, you can progress to attaching the lead. Try doing this while the puppy is being fed so he’ll associate it with something good. Then, once he’s used to having something attached to the collar, you can start picking it up. Don’t rush and you’ll be fine.

4. Nip bad habits in the bud. It’s important not to let your dog training go the wrong way. If your puppy is starting to pull on the lead, you’ll need to make sure you stop that little problem right away. A firm “no” and a little tug on the leash will usually work when used consistently, but you’ll have far more success with rewarding the right behavior. Which brings us to our next tip . . .

5. Praise and reward. Dogs want to please their humans and yours will be no exception. Even a few words of praise will go a long way toward making your dog want to continue the behavior. The great thing about this method of puppy training is that you can’t go wrong! As long as you are consistent with the reward or praise, your dog will rapidly learn the new behavior . . . in this case, walking on a lead.

There are a lot of advantages to having your dog trained to use a leash and not pull. For one, you’ll be able to enjoy walks out with your dog and so will your canine friend. It’s also safer, as any dog obedience class will teach you, since you don’t need to worry about your dog getting loose and running out into the street when he’s walking happily beside you.

Steps to Toilet Train Your Dog

The last thing any dog owner wants is a lot of nasty messes to clean up all over the place. If you take the time to toilet train your dog, you’ll not only avoid stepping in an unpleasant surprise as you head to the bathroom at night, you will confine all mess to a specific area. However, it does take some time and patience to teach your dog, particularly if you are starting with an older canine.

How to Toilet Train Your Dog

Your dog instinctively prefers to stay clean. If you watch a puppy that has been tied up or left in a kennel, he will automatically defecate away from where he eats and sleeps. You will be able to use this to your advantage when training your dog to use one particular spot for his or her physical needs.

Step One: Creating a Bathroom Area

It’s a good idea to choose one specific spot where your dog will be eliminating before you even bring the puppy home. The best way to do this is to pick a spot, perhaps in the corner of the yard where your dog will be comfortable defecating. Some dogs prefer to do their business on grass, while others will actively seek out dirt. If you know ahead of time which type of area your dog prefers, this will help you prepare a nice spot.

Step Two: Establish Living Areas

Your dog will instinctively avoid defecating or urinating within living areas, so you’ll need to make sure he understands that the entire house is considered a living area. If you are crate training, you can simply move the crate from room to room, while keeping the dog inside. Otherwise, establish one spot as a sleeping and playing area and then begin to move the dog’s bed and toys from room to room until he has accepted that the house is his home. Be sure to progress slowly so the dog has a chance to get used to each area.

Step Three: Be Regular

Dogs do very well on a schedule and this goes for a feeding schedule, as well. If you are starting with a small puppy, you’ll notice that he needs to eliminate after each feeding. So, once he has eaten, simply take him to the assigned toilet area and let him do his thing. Your dog will catch on very quickly that this is where he should be defecating. Puppy training requires consistancy and patience.

Step Four: Rewards and Consistency

It will take some time to toilet train your dog. Be sure to allow him frequent access to the toilet area and never leave your dog too long in his crate or alone in the house, since this will result in training issues as your dog won’t be able to hold it.

Rewards every time your puppy uses the assigned elimination area will help increase his interest in the toilet training. You don’t necessarily need to use edible treats, simply responding with a fun toy or verbal praise is often more than enough to let your dog know that you are pleased with him.

By staying patient, not getting upset when your dog slips up and being sure to let him know that you are happy when he uses the toilet area, you’ll find that most dogs pick up the idea of house training rather rapidly. Confusion or being shut up indoors can cause delays in the learning process, so be sure to be consistent and calm about the whole thing. Your dog wants to please you and by using his natural instincts, you are encouraging traits that will come naturally to your pet.

Tips on How to Utilize Proper Dog Training Techniques

As most pet parents can attest, dogs are both amiable and feisty. These two seemingly incompatible traits are what dog training so difficult, especially in the early years. Luckily, experts abound that can give us helpful hints on how to get our treasures pooches to mind their manners and behave in public and in the home.

Below are the things you should know to train a puppy and a full grown canine. You can modify these approaches to fit the personality of your dog as these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules.

Puppy training

Puppy training can be engaging, rewarding and fun with the mind set. Remember, puppies are playful, so getting and keeping their attention is the key to success.

1. Train early – young pups are very enthusiastic and alert, in fact, you can start training a puppy that is only a week old. The best way to do this is to set boundaries and rules and enforce them strictly. Don’t let the puppy jump up on you and be sure to have treats handy to point out behaviors that are good.
2. Reward – Make great fan fare out of each accomplishment so they understand what they are being rewarded for. While some leniency is of course allowed, be sure to offset broken rules with reinstatement as often as possible. In time, the puppy will understand the difference between being allowed a special reprieve and what is acceptable on a regular basis.
3. House/Crate training – the quickest way to house train a puppy is to place it in a crate. This is because dogs hate to soil their living area and will treat this space like a “den”. You can then take them out of the crate and deliver them outside so they can eliminate. The crate itself, if made comfortable, will become their go to place for a bit of R and R so they won’t “go” anywhere near it. Only keep your pet in the crate when you are home and be sure to let your pup out at night ritualistically.
4. Breaking the biting/chewing habit – all animals, especially baby ones, enjoy biting and mouthing objects. When they nip on furniture or a hand or foot, they are not aware they are doing anything wrong. One way to break this habit is to allow them to play with other pups. Puppies play rough and react negatively when the biting becomes too much. This peer pressure allows them to understand that biting is unacceptable. The purchase of chew toys allows them to get the biting urge sated so they are less apt to bite or mouth other objects.

Dog training

Dog training can be a tad more complex and often fall into the realm of obedience.

1. Leash training – the trick to getting a full grown dog to accept a leash it to make them understand the leash is not a punishment. If you get them to associate pleasant things, like walks or an outdoor jaunt with a leash they will actually look forward to seeing it. Don’t let them react in an out of control fashion and let them know that any disobedient behavior will delay their walk and they will be better behaved. Also, learn to walk with great long strides or to trot with your dog so they feel hampered by the leash.
2. Not coming when called – your dog will obey almost any command when something positive is attached to it. Far too often a pet parent only asks the dog to come to them when they seek to punish the animal or leash them. If the dog can associate positive memories to the experience, they will be more likely to behave in a positive manner to the command.

These few small tips can work in conjunction with one another no matter the age of your pet. As always, keep in mind your dog’s temperament and respect the independence of the animal as you train them to coexist with the humans and other animals.