The New Year is a great time to start investing in your pet training journey – especially because January is National Pet Training Month! Whether you’re trying to teach your new puppy how to go potty outside or you’re trying to teach your 3 year old dog how to roll over – we’ve got you covered! Here are 23 pet training tips that you can take into 2023 to have your dog mastering all sorts of tricks in no time!
Pet Training Tips Your Furry Friend Will Appreciate You Know:
1. Train for Training
The first step in being able to properly train your pet is to practice how you will train your pet. Make sure you know how to speak to your pet and have a plan for training sessions.
2. It’s Never Too Early (or Too Late!)
The saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” isn’t necessarily true. Whether you have a new pup in your household or an older dog – start slow and they’ll catch on in no time!
3. Calm Environment
So you’re ready to start pet training, but where should you start? Find a quiet spot in your home with few distractions, so your pup can fully focus while class is in session!
4. Schedule Training Time
Dogs are similar to babies in the way that they thrive off a scheduled lifestyle. Schedule out time for your dog to eat, play, go outside and for training for one very happy pup!
5. Short Training Sessions
Dogs have short attention spans, so don’t bore your pup with long training sessions. Stick to a maximum of 15 minutes ( the rule is 5 to 15 ) of training 3-4 times throughout the day.
6. Consider What You Are Training
For example, you may not want to teach “high five” if you don’t want the dog to paw at you to get attention. Teach “all four on the floor” for the safety of littles. Once the dog has learned basic manners, then they can learn tricks only when you ask for them.
7. Get Everybody on Board
Who’s going to be training your pup? The answer should be everyone in your household, even the kids. This will ensure your dog listens to and obeys everyone instead of just one person.
8. Patience is your New Best Friend
Trying to teach someone something when they don’t understand your language can be tricky, so be patient! With consistent practice, your pup will be a trick master in no time!
9. Positivity is Key
When things get tough during training, stay positive towards your pup! Instead of getting frustrated with them, consider changing how you are training your pup to find a method that works best for them.
10. Start Simple
No dog is going to be able to learn how to play dead before learning how to sit. Start with the simple things like learning to go outside and sitting before moving on to tougher tricks..
11. Upbeat Tone
Your dog gets excited when you are excited. When you’re trying to teach your dog how to do something, use an upbeat tone so they’ll be interested in what you have to say – but if you want them to “settle” use a calm voice not a high pitched excited one.
12. Nag, Nag, Nag…No, No, No
When training, only say a cue once so your dog can link a singular word with a singular action without confusion.
13. Everyone Loves a Compliment
We all love a little praise when we do something right, and your dog feels the same way! Be sure to celebrate all of your furry friend’s victories – big or small!
14. Try Clicker Training
If traditional spoken commands aren’t working, consider investing in a clicker. A clicker is a device you can hold and push down to make a noise when giving a command. This clicker will lead your pup to associating the sound of the click with a specific action.
15. Punishment-Based? No Thanks!
There is no reason to ever hurt your pup when they do something wrong – physically or emotionally. Rather than getting angry at your dog for bad behavior, you should ignore and not reward behaviors you don’t want. If you touch them when they jump up on you, you have just rewarded them with attention. Instead, turn your back on them and don’t give them your attention until they are on all fours – capture and reward good behaviors.
16. Reward Desired Behavior
Have you successfully trained your dog to go to the bathroom outside or to sit before being given food? Continue to reward your furry friend even after your official training is over.
17. Reward with Treats!
Training is the perfect time to reward your pup with a delicious treat! Find a soft treat that your pup genuinely enjoys and can easily scarf down!
18. Combine Audio and Visual Commands
Consider combining simple hand motions with specific cues, so you can tell your dog to sit without even talking!
19. Socialize your Pup
A happy dog is a dog who will be much more willing to learn! Be sure to socialize your pup to put your dog’s training to the test while hanging with friends!
20. Get Expert Help
If all else fails, don’t worry! There are experts out there who offer programs that can help train your dog with successful methods! PawHootz has many different programs to help you train your furry friend if you need the extra help! Levels Training will teach you to teach your dog and will let you go at your own pace.
21. Lodge and Learn
One of Pawhoot’s pet training methods include “Lodge and Learn.” These are multi-day training programs that you can send your dog to for enrichment, socialization and lots of learning!
22. Training Never Stops
It’s important to remember that training never stops! It’s an ongoing process that you will need to practice every single day with your pup, so they can be the best behaved dog you’ve ever seen and so that they don’t forget any of their training!
23. Furry Friend Knows Best
Always remember that your furry friend knows best. Watch your pet’s behavior and body language to make sure your pup isn’t too tired, frustrated, or not ready to move onto harder tricks – they’ll love you even more for being able to understand their needs
Now you’re ready to begin your journey of pet training! Pet training is a great way to bond with your dog while teaching them how to be the best behaved dog on the block!
When things get tough just know that PawHootz is here to help! Whether your dog or puppy is treat motivated or toy motivated, our professional dog trainers will ensure your dog learns in a comfortable environment. Contact us today to find the training program that best suits your family!
