Being able to train your dog on your own is one of the most rewarding experiences any dog owner can have. Not only will you get your dog to be the “good boy” (or girl) you want, but you will also strengthen the bond between you and your pooch.
Before starting any dog training program, keep in mind that you want to be a teacher to your dog. You don’t want to be a crazy dictator but you also need to remember that you are the one in charge. You are teaching your pup to be a better behaved dog and be the pooch that everyone admires!
One of the most common questions we receive is whether you should train your dog on your own or hire a professional trainer. Thankfully for us it’s an easy question – you should! It’s a great way to improve your relationship for the long run.
Obviously you don’t want to just go in the backyard and start yelling commands. To properly train your dog you need to have a game-plan in mind. For that reason we included a link at the bottom of this article that will take you to a couple of proven dog training programs you can use at home. In the meantime, let’s go over a couple of general tips you should keep in mind when training your pooch.
Before you start any training session, make sure your dog is in the proper mindset. Take him or her for a walk so that your dog can go to the washroom. You also don’t want to try to train them right after they have had a meal. Just like humans dogs can get sleepy after they have filled their belly.
You are hoping to eliminate any distractions that might get in the way of your training.
Another tip is to have a little play time before you jump into training. This makes your dog relaxed and more receptive towards you.
Make sure that you have some treats ready for your pooch so you can reward him – just like humans dogs will continue to behave a certain way when there is something in it for them! Of course you don’t want to give away too many of these as this can confuse him. Reward your dog only when appropriate.
It’s normal for your dog to run off every now and then during your training. Don’t go in a frenzy and chase after them. Simply call him back using an authoritative tone to call him back and keep working on your training when you have his attention again.
There are going to be times where it just looks like your pooch is absolutely clueless about what you are expecting of them. This is normal and you can’t let yourself get annoyed or mad at them. Instead, find ways to better communicate with your dog so you get the most out of your future training sessions.
During your training there are going to be some times where you actually have to show him what you want him to do. It might be a tad on the frustrating side, but over time it will get a whole lot easier – I promise!
If you have decided to train your dog on your own, pat yourself on the back! It’s an incredibly rewarding experience that will pay huge benefits in the long run. You (and your dog) will be happy you decided to do it on your own. Good luck!
