You may encounter a number of major challenges during dog training. Knowing what they are allows you to avoid them and make better progress. The number one danger new dog trainers face, is expecting too much from their dogs too soon.
Dogs are intelligent animals and it's easy to expect too much of them from day one. Don't expect your dog to behave as well as the others in the park if you haven't taken the time it takes to train it properly. Results like this just won't happen. This expectation sets you and your dog up for failure.
The second mistake that is very common amongst dog owners is to lose control and yell or even hit the dog. Physical abuse of dogs is extremely harmful (not to mention illegal) and hampers training big time. Yelling is also counter productive to getting good results. Make a mental note never to yell or abuse your dog and you will get good training results much more quickly.
Mistake number 3 is that many dog owners allow their dogs (knowingly or unknowingly) to become the leader of the house. This is not only a danger to others but also to themselves. Assert yourself as the clear leader from day one.
The 4th major mistake made that many dog owners make is to give up. When things aren't working out, giving up is a very easy option to take. Just remember that dogs love to learn, they are very intelligent and able to learn many things, and that learning (or mentally challenging your dog) is very important to your dogs health.
Lastly, some dog owners are too inconsistent. Being consistent is an absolute must if you want to get good results when training your dog. Practice repetition and always stick to the same commands.
Now that you know some of the biggest mistakes dog owners make, ensure that you don't fall into these common traps.
